Max Verstappen will enter the 2022 US Grand Prix with an opportunity to equal seven-time Champion Michael Schumacher’s record.
Verstappen was part of an intense World Title battle with Lewis Hamilton in 2021. It was decided on the very last lap of the season finale, but the 25-year-old became the first-ever F1 Champion from the Netherlands.
His 2022 season, meanwhile has been a relative walk in the park. At the start of the season, he did face some challenges from Ferrari and Charles Leclerc, but his lead at the top kept increasing with time. With four races still left, Verstappen has already clinched the Drivers’ Title with 12 race wins to his name.
If Verstappen wins the United States GP this weekend, he will have 13 race wins in 2022. This will equal Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel’s records. Schumacher won 13 out of 18 races in 2004, which is regarded by many as the most dominant season by a driver ever. Vettel too won 13 races on his way to becoming a four-time World Champion in 2013.
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Max Verstappen could outrank Schumacher’s win-percentage
Schumacher’s 2004 season was legendary, when he won 13 out 18 races. In terms of percentage, that is 72.2% of the total races that year. This is the second highest win percentage in a season in F1 history, only behind Alberto Ascari’s dominant 75% in 1952.
If Verstappen wins the remaining four races, then he will have 16 race wins to his name in 2022. This will be an extraordinary record, that may not be broken for years to come. However, to do that, the Red Bull star has to finish P1 in Austin, Mexico City, Sao Paolo and Abu Dhabi.
This should not be a concern for Red Bull because they have been historically dominant at the first three venues. The Milton-Keynes-based team have been competitive here, even when they weren’t at their best.
Now that Verstappen has secured his World Title, he can focus on breaking these records. At this weekend’s United States GP, Red Bull can seal their first Constructors’ Title win since 2013, if they leave COTA with 16 more points than Ferrari on the weekend.
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