Max Verstappen could break barely-believable F1 record at Abu Dhabi GP
Red Bull star Max Verstappen could complete a dominant season with a strong showing at the F1 finale in Abu Dhabi. If the Dutchman finishes third in Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix while teammate Sergio Perez finishes sixth or lower, Verstappen will have won the world title in both the first and second half of the 2023 F1 season only.
The 2023 season has been dominated by Verstappen. He began with victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix and took the checkered flag at last week’s inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix, ensuring he has won 18 of 21 races this year.
As a result, Verstappen sealed his third straight Drivers’ Championship. The three-time world champion has dominated F1 in recent years, and he has become the face of the sport thanks to the success experienced by Red Bull.
Even if Verstappen raced in either half of the season only, he would have still likely emerged as world champion. With Perez already securing second in the championship, it is easy to see just how clearly Verstappen has overwhelmed his competitors.
The Dutchman scored 281 points in the first 11 races of the season, while he scored 268 points in the last 10 races – averaging 26.8 points per weekend, which is more than what was possible before the implementation of Sprint Races. If Verstappen wins the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, he will have scored 293 points.
Perez has 273 points going into Abu Dhabi. If Perez finishes sixth, he would have 281, the same amount as Verstappen through 11 races – but his teammate would take the championship on count back.
For Verstappen to be the world champion in just either half of the season, Perez must not score more than eight points while the 26-year-old just needs 13 points. This can be achieved via a third place finish or a fourth along with the fastest lap.
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It’s an alarming sentiment for F1. Verstappen could have stopped racing after the Hungarian Grand Prix back in July and likely would have still won the world championship.
On the flip side, he could have waited to start competing at Spa and only raced in the second half of the championship – and still emerged with a third crown. His dominance has reached new heights in 2023.
F1 concludes its 2023 season with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday, Nov. 26.
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