The Dutch driver joined, on Sunday in Canada, the Brazilian legend in the number of successes in grand prix
Although he has not yet reached the age of 26, Max Verstappen has just equaled Ayrton Senna and his 41 victories in Formula 1, on the occasion of the Grand Prix of Canada, Sunday June 18. A historic mark, which already places him very high in the hierarchy of the best drivers in history. Double world champion, and well on his way to winning a new crown at the end of the season, he is building his legend, like on the track, at full speed. But then, where does he sit at the table of F1 legends?
Numbers that make you dizzy
With his 41 victories, he now ranks fifth among the most successful drivers in F1, alongside Ayrton Senna (41), and behind Alain Prost (51), Sebastian Vettel (53), Michael Schumacher (91) and Lewis Hamilton (103). If the first two marks are hypothetical, the other two are potentially attainable. Both given the margin of his team over the others, but also his talent.
Cyril Abiteboul, former Renault team principal, do not hide that it is complicated to “compare drivers who did not race at the same time and in different cars”. But he recognizes that Max Verstappen “is today the best incarnation of what it is to be a successful Formula 1 driver in the regulations we have (…) It’s a bit like each era, its world champions”.
:quality(50)/2023/06/16/648b8b0d20c14_066-dppi-00218010-025.jpg)
If he wins another title this season, he would become only the fifth driver to win three years in a row, along with Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, Juan Manuel Fangio and Sebastian Vettel. He would also become the 11th driver with at least three titles, including Alain Prost, Niki Lauda or Ayrton Senna.
And when it comes to the title, Cyril Abiteboul underlines that Max Verstappen gave himself this chance in the past, staying at Red Bull, to today aim for a long-term record. “That’s also what makes champions, intelligence in managing their careers (…) He didn’t have the restlessness that some people had when things were not going well, when things were complicated. He had the patience to trust his surroundings when needed.”
A UFO in Formula 1
Youngest driver in history to enter a race at 17 years and 5 months at the 2015 Australian Grand Prix, and youngest driver in history to win a race, at 18 years and 7 months at the Australian Grand Prix Spain 2016, Max Verstappen also turned the world of F1 upside down like no one else. “It’s still completely crazy what he did. He did karts for 6 or 7 years and then he did a year in single-seaters, where some drivers chain years of Formula Renault and climb the ladder (…) Verstappen bypassed all that“says Cyril Abiteboul.
“He made history, he structured motorsport by provoking the system which imposed stages from which he completely freed himself.”
Cyril Abiteboul, former boss of Renaultat Franceinfo: sports
Above all, he pushed the world of Formula 1 to reinvent itself. “Ithe completely set in motion a system. By magnifying the line, he demonstrated that it was possible to go from kart to Formula 1. In the middle, people will remember it. Because when we do that, we ask questions about the whole economic system of motorsport“. The FIA changed its regulations from it.”It made enough noise for the FIA to react, by creating a superlicense and points system, which required passing through mandatory championships such as F3 or F2 to have the right to drive in F1.“.
Everything to become the greatest? The previous Vettel
While Red Bull’s dominance may seem limitless at the moment, their opponents could well improve. Especially since according to Cyril Abiteboul, the gap between the teams should be reduced in future years, impacted by budget limitations and the simplification of technologies. This should leave more room for the qualities of the drivers to express themselves. A potential additional motivation for “Supermax”.
:quality(50)/2023/06/16/648b8c31491a8_066-dppi-00122003-380.jpg)
Or the beginning of a difficult period. At the end of 2013, Sebastian Vettel won his fourth world championship title, just three months after celebrating his 26th birthday, already with Reb Bull. Retired at the end of last season, nine years after his last title, “Baby Schumi” no longer tasted this joy. Whether in the colors of Red Bull, Ferrari or Aston Martin, without his legendary status being called into question.
But Verstappen could finally surprise the whole community by choosing to end his career quite early, he who has already mentioned the fact of not wanting to run for too long, while Cyril Abiteboul wonder if “this envy [de courir] will remain intact“. Given the character of the Dutch driver, and if the competition comes back up, there is no doubt that this desire will only be increased tenfold.