‘Metronomic’ Verstappen may rule F1, but it won’t last forever

Verstappen has turned F1 into a one-man show over recent seasons, as Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz is the only other driver to have won a race since last year’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

And despite rivals throwing everything they can at trying to close down Red Bull’s advantage, the world champion squad is still clearly in a class of its own at the front.

It means that with Verstappen in the form of his career, and clearly totally at one with his car, there is an inevitability at the moment of the Dutchman racking up plenty more victories on his way to winning this year’s championship.

Speaking about the level Verstappen was operating at, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said: “He’s just hit it like a metronome.

“The pace that he showed last year, he’s just continued that. And I think since the last Chinese Grand Prix [in 2019], he’s won 50% of all the races. He’s won 21 out of the last 23 races. He’s in fantastic form. He’s at one with the car, at one with the team, and enjoying his racing.”

But while things looks perfect at the moment, Horner says that F1 history shows that periods of dominance can quickly end – which is why his squad is taking nothing for granted.

“I think that you have to appreciate success,” he said. “Max is a special talent. It’s a golden moment for him and, as we’ve seen with every single driver, it doesn’t last forever.

“I think it’s about enjoying the moment, being in the moment. And there’s no guarantees that we’ll be able to give him a car like this every year for the next five years. So, it’s doing what you can, while you can.”

Red Bull had appeared to be under more pressure from rivals at the start of this season, but Verstappen’s advantage in the recent Japanese and Chinese Grands Prix points to the team having stretched its legs once again.

But Horner thinks that the long-corner nature of Suzuka and Shanghai probably played to the strengths of the RB20, so the form book may be different at venues coming up.

“I think it’s probably track-specific because it may well be we go to the next race and it concertinas again,” he said. “And it will probably do that.

“We’ve not raced in really hot temperatures yet, or anything like that. So, there’s still an awful lot of variables. But…