The stats don’t lie. Max Verstappen has set the benchmark in Formula 1 for the past couple of seasons. The 26-year-old has been utterly dominant and you can trace that back to the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP. But he’s been virtually unbeatable since the 2022 F1 season. It has all culminated in the Dutch Lion winning his 3rd consecutive world championship title at the 2023 Qatar GP Sprint Race. And as the team graced him with a wholesome surprise, Verstappen cheekily brought up his old Ferrari links per Red Bull’s Instagram account.
2022 was a season dotted by the Ferrari-Red Bull rivalry. Both Charles Leclerc and Verstappen were tied into battle for the driver’s championship. In the end, Verstappen wrapped up his 2nd title at the Japanese GP with relative comfort. It wasn’t as intense as their rivalry with Mercedes just a year ago, but the Scuderia did push the Bulls all season long.
🚨2022 QUALY WDC SIMULATION
🔥Ferrari was very fast in qualifying sessions, with Leclerc being only 3 points behind Verstappen!
🥇VER: 400 (Qualy WDC) – 454 (Real WDC)
🥈LEC: 397 – 308
🥉SAI: 303 – 246
PER: 251 – 305
HAM: 178 – 240
RUS: 174 – 275
NOR: 119 – 122
ALO: 105 – 81… pic.twitter.com/tw28KJzhER— Holiness (@Big_Data_Master) October 4, 2023
In the early stages of the 2022 season, Leclerc and Ferrari were seemingly cruising to the championship title. However, as the season progressed, the prancing horse faltered. The F1-75 was plagued with reliability issues and the unforced errors by both, the team and the drivers didn’t help their cause. Ultimately, Verstappen stormed to a comfortable 2nd title.
Amid Ferrari resurgence, Max Verstappen hilariously brings up old alliance
The SF-23 has been nowhere near the Bulls to challenge Verstappen. That being said, the team from Maranello has pulled their socks up and closed the gap down to Red Bull. With the 2024 season fast approaching, they seem the most likely, alongside McLaren, to challenge the Bulls next year.
And amid this threat, Verstappen brought up his Ferrari roots in a video posted to Red Bull’s Instagram account. After his championship triumph yesterday, the team set up a surprise for him. With pictures from his early days lined up, Verstappen caught a glimpse of a photo from his childhood where he was sporting a Ferrari outfit. He quickly joked, “I’m Sorry, Christian, but…” as he showed the picture off.
View this post on Instagram
He would’ve sported a Ferrari pajama set in his youth, but he’s a Red Bull driver through and through. In F1, the Dutch lion has only driven for two teams: Toro Rosso (Red Bull’s B-team) and the Milton-Keynes-based outfit.
Verstappen’s Qatar GP win is a rude reminder for the rest of the grid
Despite sealing the championship yesterday, Verstappen did not relax. The 26-year-old pretty much led the entire race on his way to a superb grand slam. With pole, the race win and the fastest lap, Verstappen displayed yet again why he is a 3x champion.
But Verstappen’s performance today has a sinister undertone for the rest of the grid. It only goes to show the commitment the Bulls have towards retaining their dominant run. Despite sealing both the championships, they pushed until the very end to secure yet another dominant result.
But don’t expect 2024 to be a cake walk for them, though. With their rivals catching up meteorically, Max Verstappen and Red Bull may have some serious competition next year.
