Max Verstappen has been the main protagonist of the last four F1 seasons, beginning with his victory over Lewis Hamilton in the 2021 championship, followed by two dominant campaigns in some of the best cars Red Bull has ever produced.
This season, however, has been different, and Guenther Steiner would choose its brilliance over the previous three.
The former Haas boss stated that Verstappen‘s title win in 2024 would be the best of the lot.
“I think he suffered a bit with Red Bull because people said ‘Oh, you’re winning because you’ve got the best car’. But with this one, he can clearly say, ‘I didn’t have the best car but I still won‘,” said Steiner to TalkSport.
Verstappen did start 2024 on a strong note, and many felt that his era of dominance would continue. But after winning seven out of ten races in the beginning, he had to undergo a 10-race winless drought, which only ended in Sao Paulo last Sunday.
Unbelievable!!! What a roller coaster… SIMPLY LOVELY Thank you everyone @redbullracing pic.twitter.com/TFoA2qzHr8
— Max Verstappen (@Max33Verstappen) November 3, 2024
In 2022 and 2023, the Dutchman barely had to break a sweat, as he coasted home to victories almost every weekend, with 2023 in particular, turning out to be a record-breaking 19-win season.
However, in 2024, multiple race winners emerged, including both drivers from Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes, but somehow, Verstappen has held his advantage at the top of the Drivers’ Championship standings.
Comparing Verstappen’s 2021 and 2024 seasons
Verstappen still hasn’t sealed his championship victory, unlike the last two seasons. But with a lead of 62 points with three race weekends to go, it seems to be all but certain that the Red Bull driver will prevail. It has been a difficult season for him, but where does it stand compared to what he went through in 2021?
Well, for starters, that season, there was just one driver Verstappen had to keep an eye on — Lewis Hamilton. Yes, he is a seven-time world champion and one of F1’s finest ever, but Red Bull had the fastest car for a huge chunk of the season.
On the contrary, in 2024, Verstappen has had to fight harder than ever to win, and even stand on the podium. The handling issues of the RB20 worsened with each passing race. So, the way Verstappen held on to his championship lead by maximizing his results was quite commendable.
This has been a statement season from the 27-year-old, with a clear message that he can win titles without having the outright best mechanical package, which is perhaps why Steiner chose this as his best-ever (soon-to-be) championship triumph.
