Despite Recording 50th Win in Austin, Max Verstappen Calls His Achievements ‘Rookie Numbers’ in Front of Lewis Hamilton

Max Verstappen finished sixth on Friday after suffering a track constraint breach. However, when it came to racing on Sunday, the Dutchman was a whole different beast. Despite all of his rivals’ challenges, the 26-year-old did not believe he was going to lose the US Grand Prix. As a result of his unwavering faith, the Dutchman won his 50th race, bringing his career total to just under half that of record-holder Lewis Hamilton. Nevertheless, despite achieving such amazing figures, keeping him just four victories away from passing the third-best total wins record, the Dutchman, according to ESPNF1, claims his numbers are still rookie in comparison to the 7x world champion.

In 2016, Max Verstappen was promoted to Red Bull’s main team, where he won his maiden Grand Prix in Spain. From then to now, he has won three titles and 50 Grand Prix races. However, when it comes to Lewis Hamilton, the 38-year-old has won seven championships, tying him with Michael Schumacher for the most number of championship crowns. Besides, the Briton has more Grand Prix victories than any other F1 driver, which stands at 103.

Nonetheless, Verstappen’s victory at the USGP track was undoubtedly a terrific result that may have elevated him to the top, but he still has a long way to go in catching Lewis Hamilton’s number.

Max Verstappen remains humble alongside Lewis Hamilton

Max Verstappen’s record-breaking feat of winning 15 races in two consecutive seasons has put him in an elite group of Formula One drivers. This includes Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, and Alain Prost. Though Verstappen currently has 50 wins, he is expected to win all of the remaining races, putting him ahead of Prost and Senna.

 

Max on reaching 50 wins in F1… pic.twitter.com/cbQidqNJZM

— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) October 22, 2023

Despite being asked this specific question, the Dutchman gave a humbling response. As per ESPNF1, the 3-time champion said, “still rookie numbers compared to Lewis.” Though Max Verstappen’s comments are legitimate to some extent, we cannot rule out the likelihood that he is going to be the favorite to win until the end of 2025.

How can Max Verstappen close the all-time win record with Lewis Hamilton?

Max Verstappen clinched his third championship with six races remaining in the season. Throughout the entire campaign, the 26-year-old showed some of his best abilities on tracks such as the Dutch GP, where torrential rain spoiled many drivers’ races. In addition, the Red Bull ace also demonstrated his cool in the heat of Qatar, where track limits proved to be a challenge for the motorists.

With three titles and 50 wins, the Dutchman is predicted to win until the new engine regulations take effect around the beginning of 2026. This might bring his career win total to 80. Although there is a rational justification for this note, which claims that the Dutchman will have a blistering RB model that has proved to leave a gap with its rivals for more than 20 seconds on a regular basis, as a consequence, it will be difficult for Verstappen and Co’s competitors to entirely close the gap with the team. Aside from that, technical genius Adrian Newey remains associated with the team and will undoubtedly be taking notes in his notebook to ensure the success of next year’s RB model.

Though with the resurgence of McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari, it’s unknown what Verstappen’s future holds for the Dutchman, his dominance on the track will still be remembered in the annals of sports history. However, on the other hand, the achievement of breaking Lewis Hamilton’s record would pique the interest of spectators, considering that Verstappen has stated his intention to retire early, but Hamilton is due to race for another two years with Mercedes.