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Formula 1 disqualification extends odd Max Verstappen streak

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Formula 1 disqualification extends odd Max Verstappen streak

As a seasoned gamer with decades worth of racing games under my belt, I must say, this Formula 1 season is giving me some serious Gran Turismo vibes! The unpredictability and thrill are off the charts.

George Russell from Mercedes, who recently triumphed in the Austrian Grand Prix held at the Red Bull Ring last month, seemed poised to join an exclusive club of drivers winning more than one race in the 2024 Formula 1 season during Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

However, following a 44-lap race on the 19-turn, 4.352-mile (7.004-kilometer) road circuit in Stavelot, Belgium, it was discovered that George Russell’s Mercedes was underweight. This led to his disqualification as the Formula 1 race winner, marking the first such instance since 1994.

I’ve just been elevated from second place to the race winner, officially! It’s all thanks to my teammate, Lewis Hamilton, who paved the way for me in this exhilarating competition.

George Russell disqualified

The announcement followed the festivities on the podium, which means that Hamilton’s victory on Sunday might have been his most unconventional out of his impressive 105 career wins in Formula 1 racing.

Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, who finished third, wasn’t able to join Hamilton and Oscar Piastri of McLaren in their celebration on the podium.

13 races into the extraordinary 24-race 2024 Formula 1 season, seven distinct racers have triumphed on Sunday’s tracks so far.

Despite having lost three consecutive races, marking his longest losing streak since 2021, Max Verstappen of Red Bull remained the racer with the most victories in 2024, boasting a total of seven wins.

As a seasoned racing enthusiast who has been following Formula One for decades, I must say that this season’s lineup of winners is nothing short of impressive. With the likes of Russell, Hamilton, Leclerc, Piastri, Carlos Sainz Jr., and Lando Norris taking home victories, it’s clear that the future of the sport is in good hands. Each of these drivers brings a unique skillset and style to the track, and their success this season is a testament to their dedication and talent.

Since the leading four sports teams are significantly ahead of the others, it seemed like Max Verstappen’s winning run could only persist if his teammate Sergio Perez won as well, making him the eighth different champion in the series (other than a fourth consecutive Belgian Grand Prix victory for Verstappen).

Although Perez started from the pole position, his performance during the actual race was modest, ultimately resulting in him finishing in eighth place (seventh following Russell’s disqualification).

As a speedy gamer on the virtual track, I found myself dominating qualifying rounds, clocking the fastest laps by a significant margin. However, a grid penalty related to my engine knocked me down from pole position to start 11th. Despite this setback, I fought through the pack and managed to cross the finish line in fifth place. But after Russell’s disqualification, I was bumped up to fourth.

Yet 14 races into the 2024 season, Verstappen is still the only driver to win multiple races and stand atop the podium multiple times.

Russell has won the top spot on the podium twice, yet officially he’s recognized as winning once. On the other hand, Hamilton has been given credit for two victories, although he’s only been on the highest step of the podium just once.

In the year 2023, Verstappen set a remarkable record by winning an impressive 19 races. The next most successful racers were Perez and Sainz, with Perez claiming two victories and the second one occurring during the season’s fourth race held at Baku City Circuit in April. As for Sainz, he was the only other driver to secure a win that year, achieving it solo in September.

Currently, Verstappen is experiencing a four-race winless stretch, marking his longest such streak since the 2020 season. At that point in his career, he had managed to secure only nine victories out of a total of 61.

Following seven victories in ten races at the start of this season, the 26-year-old Dutch athlete has extended his winning streak to a total of 40 wins in 51 races, starting from April 2022.

As a long-time Formula 1 enthusiast with a passion for high-speed racing and a soft spot for Dutch drivers, I am thrilled about the upcoming Dutch Grand Prix in August. Having followed Max Verstappen’s career since his early days, it’s exciting to see him competing at his home circuit, Circuit Zandvoort.

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2024-07-31 15:02

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