Max Verstappen is such an exceptional driver that he cannot even be crowned world champion in a conventional way, in case anyone believes that this is possible. His first title, that of 2021, unleashed a storm of lightning and thunder in the offices of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), for how the stewards and Race Direction handled the outcome of that explosive last appointment, in Abu Dhabi, which ended with the dismissal of Michael Masi, the conductor at the time. Last season, in Suzuka, not even Verstappen himself was aware at first of having won the World Championship, because he had to wait to redo the mathematics after the penalty to Charles Leclerc that allowed him to sing the alirón. And this season, after passing the roller without any regard and breaking records at the same speed at which he drove, the Dutchman celebrated the gimp on Saturday; without even having to cross the finish line in the sprint test, in Qatar, where it was enough to finish sixth, regardless of what his rivals did, if at any time he has had any. The exit of Checo Pérez, his workshop neighbor and the only one with mathematical options to complicate his life, shortly after overcoming the equator (on lap 11 of 19), allowed his teammate to throw the confetti even earlier than he had planned.
More information
Max Verstappen, before his third World Cup title: "It's always nice to win the first time"
The fact of solving the championship in such an atypical way also has its good things. From the outset, that technically there are still six stops on the calendar, a circumstance that allows the Dutchman to match in that aspect the devastating step of Michael Schumacher for that course of 2002, stuck in the Ferrari with which he certified the scepter as soon as he put on his swimsuit (in July).
Checo Pérez is going to gravel!
The accident that makes Verstappen WORLD CHAMPION#CatarDAZNF1 🇶🇦 pic.twitter.com/laRlLGgNcK
— DAZN Spain (@DAZN_ES) October 7, 2023
The sprint race in Doha was marked by the general scare that settled in the paddock after Pirelli, the tyre supplier, discovered in its routine analysis that its compounds opened, as a result of the action of the aggressive pianos of the circuit, especially in the section between turns 12 and 13. Placed third on the grid, Verstappen took it easy and did not want to get into trouble, in one of his flatter days, and finished second, behind Oscar Piastri. Carlos Sainz finished sixth and Fernando Alonso ninth.
THREE-TIME WORLD CHAMPION! 🏆🏆🏆
A legend named Max Verstappen #CatarDAZNF1 🇶🇦 pic.twitter.com/jh2iFY94m1
— DAZN Spain (@DAZN_ES) October 7, 2023
The dirt accumulated on a track located in the middle of the desert wreaked havoc, only then it is understood that the safety car appeared up to two times in less than 20 turns. Those who opted for the average specification of tires went from less to more, just the opposite of those who started with the softs, which fell apart in the last five laps. "I don't know what to say, or how to thank you for giving me such an amazing car. To all those who have contributed to creating such a great car, both those who travel to the circuits and those who stay in the factory, "said the main protagonist of the day, the weekend and the year, on the radio. "It was a shame not to be able to win, but today that was not our main objective," he added later, already more relaxed.
Despite his last flash in Losail, Mad Max's absolute numbers are still far from those of Schumi, even though he still has a lifetime ahead of him – less than two weeks ago he turned 26 – to match them, and who knows whether to surpass them. At the moment he already sits at the same table as legends of the dimension of Ayrton Senna and Niki Lauda, three-time champions like him, as well as Jackie Stewart and Nelson Piquet, his future father-in-law. As if that were not enough, his three titles have come from carrerilla, an inertia that previously only accompanied Juan Manuel Fangio, the Kaiser, Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton. With the clues he gives about the ambition that moves him, which nobody doubts that he already has his sights set on next, the fourth, which would equal Vettel and Alain Prost, almost nothing. This year it has been entirely Verstappen and Red Bull, champion of the statistics reserved for the constructors for two weeks, in Japan, six events before the end, beating McLaren (1988) and Ferrari (2004), who finished the job with five tests of margin.
If we leave aside the initial revitalization of Aston Martin, which the Silverstone team (Great Britain) could not maintain after the summer, the main focus of attention was monopolized by the brand of the red buffalo and its wonder child, totally accustomed to playing the most difficult yet. In addition to setting a new record in number of consecutive victories (10), the pilot born in Hasselt (Belgium) has also contributed decisively to the collective interest of his team, which has chained the longest winning streak ever (15), 14 if we only count those of this 2023.
You can follow EL PAÍS Deportes on Facebook and X, or sign up here to receive our weekly newsletter.