Lewis Hamilton & Co. Snapped Back to Brutal Reality as Max Verstappen Hailed to Destroy F1’s Popularity

“Those Who Do Not Learn History Are Doomed to Repeat It.” The popular saying is often applied to the different affairs of the world. But it also fits perfectly as Max Verstappen continues to run riots on the tracks. Red Bull’s bet on giving Verstappen a seat at just 17 years old has paid them huge dividends. The driver, who developed during an era when Lewis Hamilton took the championship four times in a row, is on his way to achieving just that. Although he is only halfway through there, he is said to have already achieved the dominance that is expected to hurt the growth of Formula 1.

The same time of dominance, much like at the hands of Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher, which was said to have damaged the growth of Formula 1, has come again, only believed to be stronger this time. The Dutchman appears to be invincible in his RB19, with only his teammate said to be eligible to challenge him. Despite that, the season is said to be Verstappen & Co.’s, as many people have called this dominance unprecedented.

The latest addition to the list is the former Dutch racer, Michael Bleekemolen. Expressing his happiness with a side of caution, he was quoted by the Express as saying, “As a chauvinistic Dutchman, this is, of course, absolutely fantastic. But we must also be careful that this does not become a display even worse than Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher showed. Those other teams and guys really need to start trying their best now.”

“That’s not good for the sport. Good for Max and for Red Bull, but I hope he doesn’t get the same reputation as his predecessors, of, ‘Oh yeah, he always wins anyway.’”

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Bleekemolen remarked that there was, of course, an unbelievable display of speed by Alonso. As of now, the rest of the direct competitors are unknown. And it seems that they aren’t quite reaching the same level. All this serves as quite some reminder for Lewis Hamilton as well as the rest of the paddock.

What makes Max Verstappen and Red Bull so dominant?

In 2022, the Milton Keynes-based squad only edged ahead of Ferrari. But the winter development has left the rest of the grid chasing the dust of the Red Bulls. While the answer lies in the deep technical areas, Sky Sports specialist Ted Kravitz spots key areas where the team has gained the lead.

As quoted by Sky Sports, he says, “A car is nothing without an engine and the Honda power unit is probably the best on the grid. Unlike last year’s RB18, the RB19 is a lightweight chassis. The lighter your car is, the faster you will go.”

Moreover, according to Ted Kravitz, the RB19 had a natural inclination towards slipperiness. Unlike the Aston Martin or the Mercedes, for instance, Red Bull’s aerodynamic design has a low level of underlying drag.

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All this combined helps Max Verstappen dominate the weekends. How the other teams deal with that remains to be seen.