Abu Dhabi: After a record-breaking year, Formula One champion Max Verstappen isn’t ready for 2023 to end just yet.
Especially when another milestone can be reached at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Sunday.
Another victory would take him to 54 career wins and past former Red Bull star Sebastian Vettel into outright third place on the all-time list.
“Of course, it’s quite a crazy number. We had a crazy, crazy year,” Verstappen said. “It will end at one point, but hopefully not too soon.”
Verstappen sewed up his third straight title weeks ago and is looking for a record-extending 19th win of the season — he held the previous record of 15, set last year — but acknowledged he already has an eye on 2024.
“I love driving, that’s the foremost (thing) and winning is the best thing in Formula One,” he said. “At the same time, I’m very focused on what’s ahead of me, and hopefully next year, we have a competitive car again and continue that momentum.”
There will be new targets next year: chasing a fourth F1 title to move level with Vettel and Alain Prost, and closing in on seven-time F1 champions Michael Schumacher (91 victories) and Lewis Hamilton (103) for most race wins.
But, Verstappen is only 26 years old and has many years left to close the gap.
His highlights for 2024?
“Winning the comeback race in Miami was great, I think that was an important one,” he said. “Winning in Suzuka (Japan), after the tough race we had in Singapore (when Ferrari won).”
It’s hard to believe now because Verstappen leads Red Bull teammate Sergio Pérez by 276 points — the approximate tally for 11 wins — but heading into the fifth race of the season it was close between them.
Having won two of the first four races, Pérez declared himself a championship contender — a claim he backed up by taking pole position at the Miami GP in May.
Verstappen botched his qualifying, started from ninth and still won. Pérez never recovered, and the title was never in doubt after that.
“Max has just been incredible this year, no one thought we could be better than 2022,” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said.
“You have to start to talk about him among the greatest names in the sport. He’s got a lot of racing still ahead of him.”
Barren spell
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc hasn’t won since the Austrian GP in July last year.
“To be honest, it’s been a disappointing season,” he said. “After last year we wanted to try and fight for the championship, (but) after the first race (this year) we straight away understood how difficult it would be.”
Leclerc’s superb last-lap overtake on Perez to finish second at last weekend’s Las Vegas GP showed he is in top form — raising hopes for 2024 when he is expected to have a quicker, more reliable car.
“There’s a big gap to fill,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ll come back stronger next year with a car that’s capable of winning.”
Constructors’ Title
Red Bull’s dominance has given others so little to compete for. But, something is at stake this weekend for both Ferrari and Mercedes at least: the quest to finish second in the constructors’ championship.
Mercedes has a four-point lead by 392-388, but Leclerc has podiums in two of the past three races.
“Momentum is good but the big work remains to be done on track,” Leclerc said. “We will have to put everything together in order to fight them and beat them in the constructors’ championship.”
His teammate Carlos Sainz Jr clinched victory at the Singapore GP a couple of months ago and remains the only non-Red Bull driver to win a race this year.
Mercedes driver George Russell expects the difference will be made on race day.
“We’re going in with an open mind,” he said. “In qualifying, I think they will have slightly the upper hand, as they’ve tended to do so this season, but come Sunday, I think it will be a different story.”
How’s the jet lag?
A flight from Las Vegas to Abu Dhabi is more than 8,000 miles and takes nearly 20 hours.
Hardly the ideal way for tired drivers and team members to travel at the end of a long 22-race season.
“It’s a bit tough to understand what time zone you’re in,” Verstappen said.
Not great for the environment, either.
“It’s a little bit odd that we’re on the other side of the world before coming here, and especially when you’re talking about sustainability,” Verstappen said.
“It’s probably not very sustainable. Not only for the emissions but also for the human body.”
AP
