Max Verstappen was a force to reckon with in the 2022 season. His consistency and the extreme pace of Red Bull racked up wins in a stretch and made him win 15 races this season, which is a record now.
Therefore, it’s safe to say that Red Bull dominated the entire season. Though, it’s not like they had no challenges. Ferrari showed promise at the start of the season, but their unreliability and questionable strategies made them lose against the Milton-Keynes-based outfit.
On the other hand, even Red Bull had some engine reliability concerns. But over the races, they improved that and were an unstoppable force that made them win their first championship in 10 years.
Max Verstappen broke the record for the most points scored in a single season with 454 points in 2022 👊
Here’s how it compares to his other campaigns 👀#F1 @Max33Verstappen pic.twitter.com/cAW1XVKKBZ
— Formula 1 (@F1) January 5, 2023
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Max Verstappen refuses that he dominated F1
By the time season got over, Verstappen had finished his campaign with 146 points lead. Yet he claims that he didn’t dominate the last season as he cemented his second championship with four races remaining.
“I’m pretty sure the gap was never really, in fact, that big. There weren’t many weekends where, in fact, we were the dominant ones. We usually won, but we didn’t completely dominate,” said Verstappen.
Though Verstappen’s reason is partially true, Ferrari did dominate most of the Grand Prix qualifying. However, they were always a level below Red Bull in race pace after the summer break.
Thus, it was easier for Red Bull to win races comprehensively, even though they didn’t consistently get pole positions. Such marginal differences spiralled into big gaps, reflecting dominance at the macro level.
Next season Red Bull year again?
Verstappen is undoubtedly hitting the peak of his career. He’s still 25, and it’s apparent that his best is yet to come. For the 2023 season, Red Bull is the favourite as of now.
However, Mercedes and Ferrari expected to raise their challenges in an attempt to dethrone their rival. Verstappen expects a harder challenge in the new season and a three-way battle for the title.
Though, who stands where will only be unveiled from the winter testing and the season-opening Grand Prix. That’s where the ground reality of every team will be known.
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