At just 26 years old, Dutch sensation Max Verstappen secured his third Formula One world championship title with a dominating performance in a 19-lap sprint race in Qatar. This victory comes with a remarkable six Grands Prix remaining in the season, underscoring his season-long supremacy.
Verstappen’s journey to this third title began with a controversial win in 2021 as he battled fiercely with Lewis Hamilton. His second championship came with a remarkable 15 wins out of 22 races. However, he described this latest title as the best yet.
Verstappen’s incredible season featured a record-breaking 10 consecutive wins from May in Miami to last month’s Singapore Grand Prix, securing a total of 13 victories in 16 races. When asked about his future championships, he emphasized that it depended on the competitive package but expressed confidence in his ability to perform at his best for many years to come.
Qatar Grand Prix 2023
Sergio Perez showed promise early in the season, winning two of the first four races, but has struggled to secure a victory since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in April.
Oscar Piastri, who had recently achieved his first Grand Prix podium in Japan, secured his first win in an F1 race during the sprint event, although it doesn’t count as an official Grand Prix win. Both the Lusail circuit in Qatar and the sprint format are relatively recent additions to Formula 1. Interestingly, these additions, including sprint races that Max Verstappen had previously opposed, were introduced during Verstappen’s championship-winning year in 2021.
As Max Verstappen clinches his third championship title, he faces the challenge of balancing celebrations with the reality of having to race again in the upcoming weekend.
Max Verstappen’s first two wins
Max Verstappen made history as the youngest-ever Grand Prix starter at 17 years and 166 days. He also became Formula 1’s youngest Grand Prix winner during the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, surpassing Sebastian Vettel’s record. However, during a period dominated by Mercedes, he didn’t have the opportunity to become F1’s youngest champion.
In 2021, Verstappen ended Mercedes’ dominant streak and thwarted Lewis Hamilton’s bid for an eighth driver’s title with a commanding performance in Abu Dhabi. This marked the first time since 1974 that the championship contenders were tied in points heading into the final round.
For his second world championship, Verstappen started from pole position in heavy rain, leading the race from the start and after a restart following a crash that halted the race. Teammate Sergio Perez finished second, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc as the only other contender for the title.
Securing two consecutive titles and now securing the third places Verstappen among the elite in the sport and signified a potential shift in the Formula 1 landscape, possibly marking the conclusion of the Lewis Hamilton era.
