Max Verstappen has won himself a second world title and earnt himself a place among Formula 1’s pantheon of greats.
In the sport’s 72-year history only 34 drivers have ever reached the summit. Of those, only 16, a little less than half, have ever done so more twice or more.
Verstappen is ascending into rarefied air in a season that’s very quickly shaped up as a record breaker.
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After a false start comprising two DNFs in three races that put him 46 points off Leclerc in the championship standings, Verstappen clicked into gear to dominate the season. He may have formalised his supremacy with four rounds to go, but the inevitability of his championship has been clear for months.
But there’s a certain poeticism about the Dutchman having to wait until Japan to seal it. Having claimed his first in a controversial and acrimonious bare-knuckle brawl last season in Abu Dhabi, this year he claimed his second at the home of engine partner Honda and on the site of his first-ever run in an F1 car, having come at Suzuka in 2014.
He went on to become the sport’s youngest ever starter at the 2015 Australian Grand Prix and the sport’s youngest winner the following season in Spain, and he’s been writing history ever since, the latest chapter of which is promising to be record-breaking.
Victory in Suzuka was the 32nd win of his career, putting him equal sixth with Fernando Alonso on the list of all-time winners. Already this year he’s surpassed Niki Lauda, Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart and Nigel Mansell; next year he’ll have Ayrton Senna in his sights.
This was also the 12th win of the season, putting him one shy of the record 13 victories in a single campaign held by Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel in 2004 and 2013 respectively. With four rounds still to go, he’s comfortably favourite to claim that record by year’s end.
It’s also a record-breaking 18th podium in a single season, moving him past the previous record of 17 held jointly by Schumacher, Vettel and Lewis Hamilton.
He’s also outright eighth on the table for most podiums, just six behind Senna and 24 behind Alonso.
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And then of course there’s the big one: championships.
He’s now clear of 17 of F1’s biggest legends, including its first champion, Giuseppe Farina, Nigel Mansell, Kimi Raikkonen and John Surtees.
From today he’s tied with the likes of Alonso, Mika Häkkinen, Emerson Fittipaldi, Jim Clark, Graham Hill and Alberto Ascari — some superb company.
Asked last week if a second championship would put Verstappen among the all-time greats, Alonso said there was no doubt about it.
“There’s still a lot in front of him, but I wish him more luck than me because I was also 26 with those stats and still have the same stats at 40.
“But I’m sure with Red Bull and how things look for the future, he will only get better.
“It’s very well deserved. They were the best team and the best driver by far.
“I think Ferrari had a very, very fast car but Red Bull and Max were outstanding. There was no fight maybe because Red Bull and Max Verstappen were better than the others, but they didn’t have that superior car because I guess Ferrari’s is the same or better.”
Only 10 drivers have ever won more titles. Next year he’ll be aiming to match Jack Brabham, Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna for championships.
He’s also the second youngest driver to win two championships, just 275 days shy of Vettel when he won his second championship 11 years ago to the day in Suzuka.
Vettel in 2011 was the 11th driver to decide the world championship in his favour in Japan after James Hunt (1976), Nelson Piquet (1987), Ayrton Senna (1988, 1990–91), Alain Prost (1989), Damon Hill (1996), Mika Häkkinen (1998) and Michael Schumacher (2000). Verstappen has now made himself the 12th.
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Sunday was also a great day for Red Bull Racing, which has claimed its 10th championship in Formula 1 and can now target an 11th via the constructors title, for which it leads Ferrari by 165 points with 191 points remaining.
His teammate, Sergio Perez, who was put out of title contention this weekend, acknowledged that Verstappen was operating on an unreachable level this year.
“I am very proud of what Max has done this season,” he said. “He has stepped up as a driver.
“I was fighting with him in the beginning, but then halfway through the year he moved into another gear. The way he drove in some races was unbelievable.
“Hopefully soon we are able to secure the constructors championship for our team, that will be massive. I am massively looking forward to the rest of the year.”
The RB18 will also go down as the team’s most successful car ever, with 14 wins clocked up so far, eclipsing Milton Keynes’s previous best of 13 in 2013. Two more wins would also make it the team’s most successful car on percentage terms.
Verstappen’s title also makes this master designer Adrian Newey’s 13th title-winning car. It’s also his most successful, besting both the RB9 of 2013 and the Williams FW18 which won all but four grands prix in 1996 on the way to Damon Hill’s sole title.
“We have had a good run,” Newey told Sky Sports. “Early on and in many races [Ferrari] were a bit quicker, but we managed to get our performance working at all circuits and had a good run after the summer break.
“It’s a team effort. A huge well done to all the guys at Milton Keynes.”
