Jacques Villeneuve believes Max Verstappen has managed to turn his Red Bull RB19 into a "second skin" after equaling the record for most successive wins.
At the Dutch Grand Prix, Verstappen claimed his ninth victory in a row to match the all-time record held by Sebastian Vettel in the 2013 season, with Verstappen having the chance to set a new benchmark at the Italian Grand Prix.
The Dutchman has won 26 of the 35 races since the ground effect technical regulations came in for 2022, and is set to wrap up his third world title in the coming races.
Such is the domination of Verstappen, 1997 World Champion Villeneuve believes the Red Bull racer has made the car an extension of himself.
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Villeneuve on Verstappen
"Who cares if it's good for the sport? He's amazing. That's it. You should not stop that," Villeneuve exclusively told RacingNews365.
"He's managed to do it better than anybody else. He's managed to work with his engineer and his team to turn the car into a second skin.
"When you have that, you just sit in the car and you don't even think.
"The car does whatever you want it to.
"That's why every year Sergio Perez for two or three races, [the thought is that] he can beat Max.
"But then Max works and gets the car to do what he wants. Then he destroys Perez. And that makes a difference.
"I had that end of 1996 and 1997.
"I would jump in the car and think: 'I know the car can do this,' and it does it.
"Or if it's wrong [and needs] a small little change, you talk with the engineers and it works. You talk with the deer and it works.
"You don't have to think about it. And when you're like this, you'll drive two or three-tenths faster, just because you don't have to second guess what's happening."
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