Max Verstappen, before his third World Cup title: "It's always nice to win the first time"

The preparation of Max Verstappen's third title has been so brilliant that the Dutchman can afford to certify it in a bad way, with a modest sixth place in the sprint race in Qatar, this Saturday (at 19.30, on DAZN). That supposed sixth place, enough to proclaim champion, would be his worst classification in a season to frame, dominated from end to end and truffled with several records that will remain for the history of the contest. Being so close to your goal does not minimize your desire to achieve it as soon as possible, regardless of whether it is not as the orthodox canons commanded, in a conventional grand prize. "I don't care much if it's Saturday or Sunday, but it's always good to win at the first opportunity you have," Verstappen acknowledged this Thursday, already from the Losail circuit, which except for an unexpected hecatomb will inaugurate with a twisted its recent remodeling.

Be on his first match ball, this Saturday; be in the second, tomorrow Sunday; or even if he postpones the alirón until Austin (October 22), the Red Bull driver will be three-time world champion sooner rather than later and will join the selective club of illustrious who have been able to chain three titles in a row, a table for now with only four games of cutlery: Juan Manuel Fangio, Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton. "Winning three championships in a row is never easy. Clearly you need a very good car. I have focused on trying to be as consistent as possible and not make mistakes," added the rider, born in Hasselt (Belgium), 26 years ago.

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Although Vettel celebrated his triple crown before him (25 years and 145 days), the superiority shown by Red Bull and the regulatory stability expected until the next shock (2026), anticipate a golden era for the energy brand and its wonder child, who more than a car this season seems to have driven a steamroller. Of the 16 grands prix contested, Mad Max has won 13, has finished second in two and fifth in one of them, in Singapore, in what to date has been the most dismal weekend for him.

Along the way Verstappen has set a new record of consecutive wins (ten) and has been instrumental in the conquest of the constructors' title that the red buffalo team held two weeks ago, in Japan, six tests before the conclusion of the championship, another unprecedented record so far. So were the 15 victories of the pull of the Milton Keynes troop (Great Britain), and that Carlos Sainz broke in the Marina Bay, scene of the only Red Bull so far in the World Cup.

On Friday morning, Verstappen, who just turned 26, had been fastest in the first and only free practice for the Qatar GP. A few hours later, the first day of training maintained the tone of the entire course and placed the undisputed owner and lord of this 2023 in the s position, the tenth for him in what we have traveled so far. Thus, the leader has secured the first position on the grid for this Sunday's race, which will be at night and with artificial light, and that could be celebrated with a Verstappen already champion, depending on what happens this Saturday.

In a qualifying session in Doha marked by the intervention of the stewards in relation to the limits of the track, George Russell took advantage of the cancellation of the last attempts of fast lap to the two McLarens and on Sunday will also start from the front row.

More than Hamilton, Sainz (will start 12th) or Fernando Alonso (fourth), if there is someone who has been a victim of the tyranny of Verstappen has been Sergio Pérez, who has practically half the points (223) than his workshop neighbor (400) and that this Friday, in Doha, was again left out of the decisive tie of the timed (Q3).

In fact, the numbers of the Mexican are much closer to those dragged by the British (190 points), the Asturian (174) or the Madrid (150) than those accumulated by his partner.

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Red Bull has the enemy at home

Possibly, Checo's seat is the one that burns the most on the grid if we take into account that the second is in the general table, that is, the one that is assumed; And that does not mean that he ceases to be permanently marked, powerless before the parade of hypothetical candidates to replace him. "Max has done a tremendous job. He has shown to be at another level compared to any other, and that deserves all my respect, "said the boy from Guadalajara, who has two wins so far. "To win so many races, many of them complicated, is something really impressive. We are talking about tests in which it has rained a lot, and he has not made mistakes, "says Alonso, someone who does not usually give compliments. "He's had another exceptional season. There is no doubt that he deserves everything that is happening to him," agrees Charles Leclerc.

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