NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson draws bold comparison to F1's Max Verstappen

NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson recently shared his thoughts on the comparisons made to him and Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen.

With seven Cup Series titles to his name, Johnson has spoken openly about the criticism he received during his winning streak, criticism that he believes has often overshadowed his accomplishments. This echoes Verstappen's current situation in Formula 1, who is also facing unwanted judgments.

Max Verstappen has become one of the most successful drivers in the sport, distinguishing himself with four consecutive world championships. About the comparisons between the two, Johnson explained during his appearance on the High Performance podcast:

“I think there are some commonalities in this situation, especially if he continues and reaches seven or eight titles. We will see where the future takes him and what decisions he makes. He has made it clear that winning seven or eight titles is not necessarily his priority, which could indicate that he may consider something else before that. »

Learning to handle criticism has been a journey for Johnson, who shared her first emotional reactions to fan comments during her debut. The challenges of keeping everyone happy have intensified with the rise of social media. He added:

“But the journey to this success is interesting. It's funny how people perceive you. My desire to reinvent myself and become more serious displeased some American fans.

“They thought I was robotic, without personality. I was called 'vanilla' for a long time, which was surprising because I would read these forums or hear comments from fans. 'You're too boring. You just win and say the right things when you get out of your car. Your wife is beautiful and she kisses you.' I thought, 'My God, what a life I have!'

“Reading these messages was a terrible mistake. I shouldn't have done it. Especially at the beginning. I was too young, and I needed to evolve. I also got a little too emotional about some of the criticism. »

“As social media evolved, Twitter, Instagram and other platforms emerged, I started to find humor in the comments. But, in the early years when there were only forums, I wasn't ready for that. »

Realizing that fan loyalty is unwavering in sports, Johnson understood that not everyone would be happy with his success.

“We have to accept that we cannot satisfy everyone. In the world of sport, fans will support their team or their driver and whistle others. Once I figured that out, I was like, my fans are going to cheer for me, but there are 39 other fan bases here. They will make more noise than mine, and that's fine.

“You have to find your own balance in sport and your way of handling pressure. »

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