2023 F1 Champion Highlight: Max Verstappen

When you read headlines about the latest and greatest developments in Formula 1, you’ll be hard pressed not to see one driver’s name plastered all over the media in 2023: Max Verstappen. The 2023 F1 champion has become a household name over the past several years due to his stellar driving skills and poise both on and off the track.

Verstappen’s ability to shake up the F1 landscape during the past several years isn’t a fluke or a gift from Lady Luck. He’s earned every championship he’s won, and his future remains bright with Red Bull Racing. Let’s dive into Verstappen’s racing history, F1 performance, and what the future holds.

2023 and Earlier: Max Verstappen’s Claim to Fame

Verstappen, a world-renowned Dutch and Belgian racing driver, has three world championship titles to his name from 2023, 2022, and 2021. Racing is in his blood: His father is former F1 racer Jos Verstappen, and his mother is Sophie Kumpen, who is well known for her success in go-kart racing.

Max Verstappen also experienced success in go-kart racing and single-seater competitions, like the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile Formula 3 in Europe, breaking multiple records. He then transitioned to the Formula 1 Australia Grand Prix in 2015 at age 17, becoming the youngest F1 racer to complete. Following a successful run with the Scuderia team, he started the 2016 season with the same team before receiving a promotion to Red Bull, Scuderia’s parent F1 team, after four car races.

At age 18, Verstappen claimed the Spanish racing championship in 2016, becoming the youngest winner in F1 history, and he became the first-ever Dutch driver to become an F1 driving world champion after winning Abu Dhabi’s Grand Prix in 2021. As of the Abu Dhabi race in 2023, Max Verstappen had accomplished 54 victories, 30 fastest racing laps, and 32 front (pole) positions, which are awarded to the racers with the quickest times during races’ qualifying sessions.

Additional Max Verstappen Records in 2023 and Earlier

The 2023 F1 champion has several more records on his racing resume that other drivers could only dream of. Verstappen ended his 2023 campaign with a record for the greatest number of wins in one season (19), a record-breaking number of consecutive wins (10), the greatest number of podium finishes (21), the highest number of points (575), and the biggest championship-winning point margin (290).

Verstappen in November 2023 also became Formula 1’s first driver to exceed 1,000 laps in one season. His other claim to fame is being the sole racer to finish every single lap during the 2023 racing season.

Along with his success in 2023, Max Verstappen became the youngest F1 racer to set the fastest lap record. He achieved the feat in the 2016 Grand Prix in Brazil at age 19, where he pulled himself up from position 16 to third in only 14 laps in the pouring rain — an impressive feat.

Verstappen also became the youngest racer to score a Formula 1 grand slam at age 23 in 2021 during the Austrian race. He achieved this by achieving the fastest lap, taking a pole position, and winning the Grand Prix while leading all laps in the race.

Max Verstappen Fun Facts

Max Verstappen’s success in 2023 can be attributed to his younger years, when his dad introduced him to the go-kart at age 4. Before that, Verstappen’s father had him around engines often. Verstappen quickly learned the art and science of driving speedily and steering with precision. By age 7, 2023 Formula 1’s Max Verstappen was competing. The rest is history.

When Verstappen began racing in Formula 1 competitions at age 17, he didn’t have a driver’s license, though. He credits his strict driving instructor for helping him prepare for his competitions. Verstappen’s lack of a license ultimately triggered an F1 change: Drivers must be 18 years or older to race from now on.

Verstappen’s quick learning ability isn’t the only reason he’s achieved greatness on the F1 track. He has an incredible ability to cancel out distractions, which has served him well during races. For instance, he doesn’t become rattled by instability or wind when driving, and he’s relaxed enough to joke and laugh during races where he’s driving 200 miles per hour.

The champion’s hardcore Dutch fans likely have something to do with his matchless success, too. If you visit any local Netherlands gas station, you’ll likely see a promotional item featuring Verstappen. You’ll also frequently see his name or face on a TV commercial. You’d be hard pressed to find someone in Holland who’s never heard of Verstappen, as Dutch racing enthusiasts have waited for years for a heroic driver they’d be excited to support.

Max Verstappen’s Future After 2023

The 2023 F1 champion’s future looks promising. In light of his unparalleled racing success in 2023, Max Verstappen will sport Red Bull colors again in 2024 and beyond. In 2022, he signed a major contract extension with Red Bull that will allow him to race with the team through 2028.

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