Formula 1: Max Verstappen one step closer to rare Schumacher territory

As a seasoned Formula One enthusiast with over three decades of racing under my belt, I must say that Max Verstappen‘s performance at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix was nothing short of breathtaking! The Dutchman’s ability to transform a 17th-place start into a dominant victory is a testament to his skill and determination. It’s not every day you witness such a feat, even for someone like me who has seen it all!

Transitioning from one generation to another within the context of racing, Max Verstappen delivered an exceptional showcase during the Sao Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos Circuit on Sunday. This marked the end of a 10-race victory hiatus that ensued after he had won 27 times in 33 consecutive races prior to this period.

In an extraordinary turn of events, Max Verstappen started the race in the 17th position but ultimately clinched victory with a substantial lead of over 19 seconds. Only five instances in the entire history of Formula 1 have witnessed a driver securing a win from a lower starting position than this.

Despite teammate Sergio Perez managing just a single point over the weekend, Red Bull was able to narrow McLaren’s lead in the constructor championship by five points, leaving them with a difference of 49 points. However, they are still 13 points behind Ferrari for second place in the standings.

Despite a 4-and-a-half-month dry spell in winning races since June, the 27-year-old Dutch driver has already notched up eight victories this season. This is significantly more than any other driver, with the closest competitor trailing by quite a margin over the past 13 contests that span back to June.

At the start of the year, Verstappen had achieved 54 career wins; 20 of these victories were from seasons where Red Bull didn’t secure the constructor championship. If McLaren manages to win for the first time since 1998 or Ferrari takes the title for the first time since 2008, he could add 8 more wins to his total, bringing it up to 28 victories in all.

Only Michael Schumacher has more wins in such seasons, standing on the top step of the podium 32 times.

Among all drivers, only Schumacher and Hamilton have more career victories than Verstappen, with Schumacher having 91 wins and Hamilton leading with 105.

Out of Hamilton’s total wins, which number 105, a significant portion, approximately 20, were achieved during seasons where his racing team didn’t win the Formula 1 Championship. If you wish to argue that it was actually 24, there is some justification for this claim. However, it’s essential to note that in the year 2007, McLaren, Hamilton’s team at the time, scored the most points in Formula 1; however, their constructor championship points were invalidated due to a spying scandal, resulting in Ferrari winning the title instead.

historically, only five Formula 1 drivers have achieved victories in 28 or more races – Sebastian Vettel with 53 wins, Alain Prost with 51, Ayrton Senna with 41, Fernando Alonso with 32, and Nigel Mansell with 31.

In seasons where Vettel’s team didn’t clinch the constructor championship, he achieved 19 victories. Compared to this, Prost won 21 times in similar circumstances; both Senna and Alonso managed 14 wins each, while Mansell secured 10.

On the same note as Hamilton, you could argue Alonso actually had 18.

If you haven’t been amazed enough by Verstappen’s performance so far, given that his car hasn’t been the quickest since April, then this figure will certainly leave you astounded.

In his possession of the quickest vehicle, he excels significantly, managing to win a total of 34 races spanning from 2022 to 2023. Notably, no other racer has amassed such a number of victories over any three-year period in the history of Formula 1 racing.

2024 Formula 1 calendar’s record-breaking 24th race, number 22, might provide Verstappen with an opportunity to secure his fourth straight world championship. The Las Vegas Grand Prix, broadcast live from the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, begins at 12:55 a.m. ET on Sunday, November 24.

2024-11-06 17:02