Max Verstappen’s Imminent F1 Title Triumph at Qatar Grand Prix
Max Verstappen may already be envisioning his title celebration and trophy lift, as the Red Bull sensation is on the brink of securing his third consecutive Drivers’ Championship at the Qatar Grand Prix this weekend. Such has been the Dutchman’s dominance that the title battle has been virtually non-existent, and he can clinch his hat-trick of titles without even participating in the main event at the Lusail International Circuit on Sunday.
The 25-year-old is poised to become a triple world champion in F1 this weekend, barring any catastrophic incident that would rule him out for the rest of the season. He needs a mere six points to mathematically guarantee his title, though in practical terms, his destiny was sealed long ago.
Verstappen currently leads the Drivers’ standings with a commanding 177-point lead over his teammate Sergio Perez, totaling 400 points. He is well on track to achieve the most significant margin of victory in F1 history since the points system was revised. Moreover, Verstappen can achieve this record-breaking feat in record time.
With seven races still to go, the two-time world champion can take it easy this weekend during Sunday’s race, as the sprint race in Qatar offers the opportunity to earn up to eight points.
To secure the trophy, Verstappen only needs to finish third on the podium in the F1 Sprint, which will suffice. Even if he fails to earn points in the sprint race on Saturday, he can still anticipate celebrating on the Middle East podium.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72566199/1581629408.0.jpg)
Requiring just six points, Verstappen merely has to cross the finish line in eighth place or higher to confirm his title triumph, a feat he has achieved in every race in 2023.
Nevertheless, Verstappen has expressed a nonchalant attitude towards securing his third title with Red Bull ahead of the race. He revealed that the timing and manner of his victory do not concern him much.
When asked about his reaction after the sprint race, he responded matter-of-factly, saying, “No emotion. If it happens on Saturday, Sunday, or the week after, I know that it’s coming. But it’s not something that I’m thinking about too much.”
He later added, “Maybe it’s a good thing? A good night out. Might be a bit slower on the reaction time for the lights [on Sunday]. But for me, I don’t really think about it. We’re just experiencing a really amazing year as a team.
“Also, I don’t care where I win it. It’s not about ‘You need to win it five races in advance’ or the last one. I don’t know. It’s just not something that I’m really thinking about.”
Red Bull’s remarkable winning streak was halted in Singapore when Carlos Sainz became the first non-Red Bull driver to win this season. However, Verstappen’s 400-point haul, including 13 wins in 16 races, allowed the team to secure back-to-back Constructors’ titles in record time at the Japanese Grand Prix.
