mobile app bar

On This Day: Max Verstappen Bagged 5th Grand Chelem to Start One of His Toughest Title Fights

Somin Bhattacharjee
Published

BAHRAIN - Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) wins the Bahrain Grand Prix

The early stages of an F1 season can be deceptive. A team may come in looking like the fastest, with drivers making a stunning start to the campaign — only to fall flat as the year progresses. Just ask Max Verstappen.

On this day (March 2nd) last year, he bagged his fifth F1 Grand Chelem, which a driver is honored with when they get the pole position, lead every lap of the race, earn the fastest lap, and of course, win the race.

Verstappen had done just that in Bahrain in 2024 in the first race of his 2023 title defense. The then-three-time world champion was quickly expected to coast to victory in most of the races that season, earning his fourth world title and Red Bull’s third Constructors’ win on the trot.

Sadly, that high lasted for just five races.

In Miami, a new challenger rose. Lando Norris of McLaren ended up winning the Miami GP and sent a message to the rest of the paddock that there was a new fastest team on the grid. Yes, Verstappen won three of the next four races on the calendar, but it was largely down to his own brilliance, rather than Red Bull’s superior package.

The team that won 21 out of 22 races in 2023, most of them without breaking a sweat, was all of a sudden threatened. And Verstappen kept pleading with them to wake up, failing which they would lose the title.

Unsurprisingly, the Dutchman was right. His strong start to the season (seven wins in ten races) allowed him to defend his title successfully, despite Norris putting up a valiant fight to catch him. But Red Bull slipped down the pecking order to become the third-fastest team, finishing behind winners McLaren and Ferrari in the standings.

Grand Chelem and a grand title defense

Verstappen got over the line in the end. Though there were moments when his championship lead looked fragile, he held on. The Dutchman’s title defense was even more spectacular because he won it with the third-fastest car.

His Grand Chelem (or Grand Slam) in Bahrain also brought him level with Michael Schumacher and Alberto Ascari at five each. Only Lewis Hamilton (6) and Jim Clark (8) remain ahead of him.

Sadly, for the remainder of the 2024 season, Verstappen could not go for any more Grand Chelems. The field got closer with time, and dominating Grands Prix became difficult, even when he was winning them.

Later on, when performance deteriorated and balance issues plagued the RB20, finishing on the podium started to become a rarity. It was an extremely difficult year for the 27-year-old and the entire Milton Keynes-based outfit.

Unfortunately, 2025 doesn’t seem to be their year either. McLaren and Ferrari were deemed as early-season favorites with Red Bull showing signs of struggling with handling during pre-season testing in Bahrain.

Post Edited By:Aishwary Gaonkar

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

x-iconinstagram-iconlinkedin-icon

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

Share this article