Formula 1
MAX SEALS HIS THIRD CONSECUTIVE FORMULA 1 DRIVERS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP! OSCAR PIASTRI WITH HIS FIRST F1 SPRINT VICTORY!
Max Verstappen has won the 2023 F1 world championship after Sergio Perez crashed in the sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix on Saturday night.
Red Bull driver Verstappen, 26, has won an astonishing 13 out of 16 races this season as well as three of the four sprint races, which includes a memorable 12-race (including sprints) win streak from Miami in May to Italy in September.
LUSAIL CITY, QATAR – OCTOBER 07: 2nd placed in the sprint and 2023 F1 World Drivers Champion Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing talks in a press conference after the Sprint ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Lusail International Circuit on October 07, 2023 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool.
Needing to only finish in the top-six to seal the title in the shortened 100km dash at the Lusail International Circuit on Saturday night, Verstappen now cannot be caught by second-placed team-mate Sergio Perez with six races and two sprints to go, after Perez crashed in the sprint.
After sealing the long-awaited title, the Dutchman becomes just the fifth man in the sport’s 73-year history to win three championships on the spin.
He also becomes the first driver in 40 years to win the championship on a Saturday.
Since winning the opening race in Bahrain, Verstappen has been borderline unstoppable. While Perez triumphed in Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan – either side of Verstappen winning in Australia – the Dutchman displayed a statement of intent by winning from ninth on the grid in Miami in May.
LUSAIL CITY, QATAR – OCTOBER 07: Sprint winner Oscar Piastri of Australia and McLaren, 2nd placed Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing and third placed Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren pose for a photo with their trophies and Stefano Domenicali, CEO of the Formula One Group, and Mohammed ben Sulayem, FIA President, in parc ferme after the Sprint ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Lusail International Circuit on October 07, 2023 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool.
From that moment on, the 26-year-old was unstoppable, storming to a startling 10 victories on the spin, breaking Sebastian Vettel’s record of nine consecutive victories from 2013.
Highlights include a terrific pole-snatching qualifying session in Monaco, denying Fernando Alonso, as well as impressive drives to first in Montreal, Austria and Budapest. He also tasted victory at July’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone – a race he had not previously won.
LUSAIL CITY, QATAR – OCTOBER 07: 2023 F1 World Drivers Champion Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates with Sprint winner Oscar Piastri of Australia and McLaren in parc ferme during the Sprint ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Lusail International Circuit on October 07, 2023 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool.
And while his win streak ended surprisingly with a weekend to forget in Singapore last month, Verstappen soon returned to form a week later with a simple lights-to-flag win in Japan.
Now, Verstappen will be eyeing four titles on the spin and the omens look good: out of the four drivers (Juan Manuel Fangio, Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton) to have won three in a row, all have gone on to make it four on the spin.
This year, too, he can break his own record for most wins in a single season, set last year at 15. He is currently on 13 ahead of Sunday’s grand prix in Qatar and the five races that follow.
PIASTRI:
“When all the Soft guys came through at the start I thought we were in a bit of trouble. “Then their tyres fell off pretty quickly, so that was good. The Safety Car was my friend today once Max got behind me, but the pace was reasonable.
“And I think in a race where you had to manage a lot, the tyres, cars and other compounds, I think we did a really good job. So we’re very happy. “Anything you can try and learn for [the Grand Prix] is going to be important as well.
“I thought once he [Verstappen] got through into second, I was going to be in a bit of trouble. “But the pace was good, I managed the tyres well. A first Sprint win sounds pretty cool.”
CHRISTIAN HORNER:
“And there it is. Max’s third World Championship. He now joins some of the great names – Brabham, Piquet, Lauda, Senna and Sir Jackie Stewart. It is fitting company and very well deserved. Max is the most competitive driver that I have ever met. The passion, the heart and the abundance of skill puts him up there with the very best. The confidence we have seen to continually deliver no matter what is something that sets him apart.
We have seen it in the wet, on out laps, in variable conditions. The ability to be at one with the car and the belief in himself behind the wheel is absolutely stand out. It surpasses everything we have ever seen. But responsibility for this victory extends beyond one person. It would not be possible without the wider team.
The way they have galvanized has been phenomenal, all season, not just here but all the unsung heroes back at the factory have had a hand in this Championship. It is a culmination of all the efforts and endeavors to ensure Max has had all the tools he has needed to accomplish a third straight title. We will take this evening to reflect and celebrate but there is a race tomorrow where we will be right back at it. In the meantime, congratulations Max.”
LUSAIL CITY, QATAR – OCTOBER 07: 2023 F1 World Drivers Champion Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates with his team in parc ferme after the Sprint ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Lusail International Circuit on October 07, 2023 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool.
MAX:
“Firstly, very well done to Max, he has done a tremendous job and he worked really hard for this, together with all the Team, I am very happy for them. The way Max has driven this year has to be one of the best Championship seasons in the history of the sport, he has driven at a different level.
He has been outstanding, and he deserves all the success and credit he gets. It was a shame for me today, I was in the wrong place, at the wrong time and there was nothing I could really do unfortunately, I ended up taking a lot of damage to my car. It was a frustrating afternoon because I believe we had the pace to go all the way to good points. I need to recover for tomorrow, do as best as possible and come back strong. “