The latest era of Formula 1 kick-started by the 2022 regulation reset will forever be immortalized by the name of Max Verstappen. The Dutch lion romped to victory last year, and 2023 has been the same. The 3x champion has been breaking records for a joke. His dominance seems insurmountable. Naturally, comparisons are being made with GOATs of this sport like Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher. But as per SpeedCafe.com, the 26-year-old isn’t interested in emulating the duo.
2021 was a profound turning point for this sport. After years of Mercedes and Hamilton dominating F1, Max Verstappen finally stamped his authority. And he did it in style. He became the one to end Hamilton’s supreme reign of dominance. Since 2021, the Red Bull talisman has gone on to win 3 world championships in succession, with his 3rd consecutive title coming at the 2023 Qatar GP Sprint Race.
Verstappen currently has the second largest championship lead after 13 rounds since 2011
Only topped by Hamilton in 2020
More than Hamilton in 2019
More than Vettel in 2013
More than either Merc driver in 2014-2016Insane stuff
— Dino (@FormulaDino) August 4, 2022
The trajectory he’s been following is phenomenal. At just 26 years of age, the Dutch lion is almost halfway there in terms of record titles won by a driver. The common opinion of the paddock and the fans alike is that it won’t be long before he eclipses champions like Senna, Schumacher and Hamilton in terms of both numbers and accolades.
Max Verstappen doesn’t aspire to be like Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher
Verstappen isn’t here to win it all. Or so he would make you believe. When quizzed about his chances of surpassing the win tallies of the likes of Hamilton (103) an Schumacher (93), the 49x GP winner was quick to dismiss the probability.
He explained as per Speedcafe, “Of course, I want to win as much as I can. I know that from third place (Vettel) to second (Schumacher) is quite a big gap, so I hope maybe in my career I might end up somewhere there in the middle. That would be nice.”
Schumacher, Vettel, Hamilton, Verstappen. Now they are 4 with at least 3 championships in a row in the 21st century. pic.twitter.com/niwSI9VcJJ
— (@vettelhistory) October 7, 2023
Verstappen has been as dominant as a driver has ever been in this sport. But F1 is as much about the machinery as it is about the driver. And Verstappen knows this. He concluded, “I don’t know, it depends a lot on what’s going to happen in the next few races and the next few years as well. I don’t know how long this is going to last. I’m enjoying the moment and that’s very important.”
The end of the road is near for Red Bull
Red Bull have been supremely dominant in these past two years. The RB19 can be considered as one of the greatest F1 cars ever designed and built. Verstappen alone has taken an eye-watering 14 wins this season. And the Milton-Keynes-based outfit has won every GP this year barring the 2023 Singapore GP, won by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr.
But they have a target on their backs. As they have set the benchmark, teams are pushing as hard as they can to close that gap and exceed the Bulls. Currently, only McLaren seem like likely candidates to challenge them given their recent track record.
With McLaren breathing down their necks and both, Mercedes and Ferrari upping their games gradually, it is only a matter of time till Red Bull are dethroned. If you were a betting man, you’d say 2024 is finally when the Red Bull x Max Verstappen dominance ends.
