Formula One fans became used to the predictable Mercedes dominance for 7 years since the start of the hybrid era. Lewis Hamilton won 6 titles driving for a team that was unbeatable in the constructors’ championship. Yet Max Verstappen is set to break records in 2022 that even Hamilton failed to deliver whilst driving for the most dominant F1 team in history.
Of course Lewis Hamilton had a world class driver alongside him for a 4 of his Mercedes years in Nico Rosberg. Nico won the divers’ title in 2016 and had his reliability statistics been equal to Hamilton, he would have been favourite to win the previous year aswell.
Verstappen’s win in Monza recorded his first 5 races in a row streak during his F1 career. Ironically the last time Verstappen was deprived of a win was at the Red Bull home race in Austria, where LeClerc took the win.
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Ferrari’s last win in Austria was back in April and since then the Red Bull number one driver has dominated the field. The Dutchman is now 116 points ahead of his Ferraro rival and mathematically he could win the drivers championship at the next race in Singapore.
To do this Max needs to win in Singapore and for LeClerc to finish 9th or below with his team mate Sergio Perez finishing outside the podium places.
Following the Singapore GP there are still 5 races to go in the 2022 season. This would place him on the all time list with Nigel Mansell who won the 1992 title with 5 races to spare.
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Lewis Hamilton considered by many to be the Greatest of all time saw his earliest title successes come in 2015 and 2020, with just three races to spare.
A more realistic record for Verstappen to break is the percentage points lead the winner has over their closest rival. Max points tally at present is 53% more than his Ferrari rival.
The Historic best is 48% a record shred by Nigel Mansell again in 1992, with Jacques Villeneuve who claimed the F1 title in 1997.
Whether this will make Max the new F1 GOAT or not, will be in the eyes of the beholder.
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Hey @ScuderiaFerrari, remember when you said you wanted to watch all Carlos' overtakes… 👀#F1 #Formula1 #ItalianGP
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 13, 2022
