Weeks After Humiliating Lando Norris & Co., Max Verstappen Targets Lewis Hamilton’s 7 Y.O. Record

Max Verstappen and Red Bull’s 2023 season has been nothing short of a fairytale. The reigning world champions have constructed a rocket ship that has propelled them well above the rest of the grid. As if their dominance last year wasn’t enough. The RB19 might just be the most dominant F1 Car in the sport’s history. Earlier in the season, they broke Norris’ golden team McLaren‘s long-standing 1988 record for most consecutive wins in a single season. Demonstrating how utterly untouchable Max Verstappen and the RB19 have been.

The squad is now aiming for the most dominant season ever. Out of the 17 races so far this year, Verstappen has won 14 of them. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume he is carrying this war alone with the RB19 against the most dominant driver pairings of all time. They have already surpassed McLaren’s record. And look poised to do the same to a 7-year-old record proudly held by 7-time champion Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

Max Verstappen can single-handedly unravel Hamilton’s mega record

At the height of Mercedes‘s dominance in the turbo-hybrid era, the Silver Arrows had achieved an impressive 19 race wins over 21 races in 2016. This made it one of the most dominant seasons in Formula 1 for the Brackley-based outfit. But Formula 1 is a sport in which dominant eras come and go. From Michael Schumacher’s time with Ferrari in the early 2000s, to Hamilton’s era. There always comes a new challenger, more dominant, that has replaced the former.

The only dominant driver pairing that had stood the test of time would be that of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. They had an impressive win rate of 93.8% in 1988, a record they held till 2023. The McLaren MP4/4 was the first truly dominant car, and it has held off many challengers. The closest challenge was issued by Mercedes in 2016, with a win rate of 90.5%. Only recently, at the Hungarian Grand Prix, did Red Bull dethrone the McLaren duo from 1988 for the most consecutive race wins. Verstappen shows no signs of slowing down, having won 14 out of the 16 races so far.

On ESPN’s Unlapped podcast, Laurence Edmondson shared his thoughts on Verstappen’s win streak, “Last year he (Verstappen) set a new record of 15, before that I think it was 13. So the fact that he has 14, with 5 races left to run. He could end up winning 19 races this year. Which is basically what Mercedes did at the height of their power as a team, not as a single driver. So it is remarkable.’

Max Verstappen has already cemented his name in the Formula 1 Hall of Fame. The Dutch Lion wrapped up his 3rd World Championship title on Saturday at the Qatar Grand Prix. With the most important accolades of 2023 surely in Red Bull’s hands, the pair have set their sights on Hamilton’s record. The 26-year-old can match both Hamilton and Rosberg’s performance in 2016 all by himself in 2023! This feat will surely silence all the critics of the young Champion. If Verstappen can keep the upgraded McLaren of Norris and Piastri at bay, there seems to be no major obstacle on his way to the record.

READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton Relives McLaren Glory as Oscar Piastri’s Feat Gets 7X Champ’s Special Shoutout

All good things come to an end

No team can dominate in Formula 1 for too long, though. Ferrari has not had one championship since 2007. McLaren is working tirelessly to restore their former glory, and Mercedes’s dominance came to a drawing close at the start of 2022. Red Bull has taken F1 by storm once again after their last stint with Sebastian Vettel. But it can only last for so long. Right?

Well, the answer to that question is not so simple. The regulations are looking to stay stable till the next major shake-up in 2026. While Red Bull has nailed the current formula, other teams have started to catch up. Against all odds, Mika Hakkinen’s prediction at the start of 2023 has come true. McLaren has hit the ground running again. Although their progress comes a little too late to matter this year, they can be a serious contender next year. Aston Martin also aims to make their presence known next year. Add Ferrari and Mercedes into the mix, and there we have the recipe for some amazing races!

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The current advantage Red Bull has over the field will not last long. Other manufacturers are gearing up to challenge the Mighty Bulls. It is only a matter of time before the pack catches up to the leader. With the addition of Audi-Sauber in 2026, helmed by former Mclaren Man, Andreas Seidl, things will only heat up for the reigning Champions.