MEXICO CITY — Dominance by a single driver is common in Formula One, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to attain. Many of the greats have enjoyed a season — or multiple seasons — of unbeatable form, but the ease with which the victories fall always belies the hard work with which they were achieved.
For the now double world champion Max Verstappen, his first season of total dominance has come at the relatively young age of 25. By winning the Mexican Grand Prix on Sunday, his 14th of the year, Verstappen set a new record for race victories in a single season.
The previous record of 13 was set in 2004 by Michael Schumacher during his dominant Ferrari years and equaled in 2013 by Sebastian Vettel while driving for Red Bull. With two races remaining in 2022, there is every chance Verstappen raises the bar to 16.
Not that the man himself is interested in the numbers.
“I was never really interested in stats,” Verstappen said after securing his victory in Mexico. “I just live in the moment, try to do the best I can every single weekend.
“I try to win the races — that for me is the most important thing that when I go home I can say to myself that I maximized the performance and if I’m close to that I’m happy.
“But a lot in Formula One depends on the whole package and we have a great package [right now]. I’m just enjoying the moment and I’m not that interested in keeping in touch with every stat.
“But of course it has been an amazing season and of course I am very happy winning so many races.”
As Verstappen has pointed out before, comparing records across eras in Formula One is fraught with inconsistencies. Schumacher achieved his 13 wins in an 18-race season, Vettel scored his in a 19-race season and Verstappen secured his first 13 wins of 2022 in 20 race period before taking No. 14 at the 21st race of the year.
But while Verstappen’s season may be statistically less impressive (with two races left to run), he has arguably had a less dominant car than Schumacher and Vettel enjoyed in their record years. What’s more, he has secured a number of his 14 wins in a more spectacular fashion.
While the Red Bull is clearly the class of the field at this stage of the season, Ferrari was a genuine threat for victories at every race in the early rounds of 2022. Looking at it one way, you could argue the Italian team has gifted Verstappen additional wins – most notably in Spain when Charles Leclerc…
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