The curtain has fallen on Formula 1’s 73rd season, and it truly has been a spectacular one. Verstappen was crowned the drivers’ world champion for the second straight year, while Red Bull took top honours in the constructors’ championship after a lengthy gap.
But just how dominant were they from a numbers perspective? Let’s take one last look at the records Verstappen and Red Bull broke this year before we turn the page onto 2023.
1. Most wins in one season – 15
The big one straightaway, and the one that hadn’t been broken in close to two decades. Michael Schumacher scaled new heights in 2004 by winning 13 races in one year, becoming a seven-time world champion in the process. After nine years, it was Schumacher’s protege and fellow German Sebastian Vettel who matched the record in his most dominant season in Red Bull colours in 2013.
A further nine years later, Verstappen surpassed both legends in Mexico and set a new benchmark of 15 victories in one year at the season finale in Abu Dhabi. Ferrari’s various troubles through the season, along with Mercedes’ struggles with their car concept and porpoising only aided Verstappen in reaching that milestone.
2. Most points in a championship – 454
Yet another record that Schumacher owned at one point in time. He accumulated 148 points over 18 races in 2004, but with the current points system being introduced in 2010, it only was a matter of time before it would be broken. Vettel set a new high in 2013 by raking in 397 points (from 19 races) over the season, which Lewis Hamilton bettered twice, in 2018 (408 points from 21 races) and 2019 (413 points from 21 races).
That record stood until Verstappen broke it this year with two rounds to spare. The Dutchman finished the season with a whopping 454 points and one may wonder if that’ll ever be broken. But with 2023 having two more races and three additional sprints compared to this year, you just never know.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, 1st position, in Parc Ferme
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
3. Largest points deficit overturned to become champion – 46
Courtesy of two DNFs in the opening three races, Max Verstappen found himself sixth in the standings after the Australian GP, 46 points behind championship leader Charles Leclerc. In a matter of three races, not only did the Dutchman eat into Leclerc’s advantage, he displaced the Monegasque from the top of the table by the Spanish GP. Verstappen never…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Autosport.com – Formula 1 – Stories…