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Max Verstappen Is on the Cusp of Breaking a 40-Year-Old Streak

Somin Bhattacharjee
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VERSTAPPEN Max (ned), Red Bull Racing RB20, portrait, press conference, PK, Pressekonferenz during the Formula 1 Pirelli United States Grand Prix 2024

After two years of boring one-sided dominance, Max Verstappen has had to break his share of sweat in 2024, with drivers from Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes pushing him to the limit. While he continues to lead the Drivers’ Championship with four race weekends to go, Verstappen’s team Red Bull is not so comfortable on the Constructors’ title front. In fact, after the Mexican GP, they fell down to P3 in the standings.

If the season now ends with all drivers and teams exactly where they are — Verstappen P1 and Red Bull P3 — the record books would have to be rewritten.

This would mark the first time since the 1983 season that a driver from outside the top two teams in the Constructors’ standings would go on to win the Drivers’ Championship.

Brazilian driver Nelson Piquet won the title that year, driving for Brabham, but the British team did not win the constructors’ Championship. That went to Ferrari, with Renault behind them in P2.

If Verstappen manages to hold on to P1, he will be breaking a 40-year-old record. However, doing so will surely be difficult for the 27-year-old, owing to the stiff competition and results from previous weeks.

Verstappen has to be at his absolute best

In 2023, Verstappen set a new record with a 10-race winning streak, surpassing Sebastian Vettel’s previous record of nine consecutive victories. This year, however, the Dutchman has faced an equally long winless streak.

In Mexico City last weekend, Verstappen gave up a huge advantage to his direct title rival Lando Norris, after a 20-second time penalty — for his aggressive driving — limited him to a P6 finish. Norris, meanwhile, stood on the second step of the podium, bringing down his gap with Verstappen to just 47 points.

If Verstappen continues to perform like he did in Mexico and Norris capitalizes on his misfortune, the McLaren driver could become the 2024 world champion. To prevent that, Verstappen will have to be at his absolute best.

Post Edited By:Aishwary Gaonkar

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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