Max Verstappen Sets New Formula 1 Record

Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen achieved a historic milestone on Sunday, securing his 10th consecutive victory and extending his remarkable season of dominance by winning the Italian Grand Prix.

Verstappen, representing Red Bull Racing, shattered a decade-old record of nine consecutive wins held by Sebastian Vettel, a four-time world champion who also raced for the Red Bull team.

After crossing the finish line, Verstappen exclaimed on his team radio, “Another win! And a nice one, as well,” acknowledging the significance of the accomplishment. At 25 years old, Verstappen, who matched Vettel’s record the previous week by winning his home race in the Netherlands, is poised to claim his third world championship title this year.

Following Verstappen and Vettel, the next drivers in the record books with seven consecutive wins are Alberto Ascari, Michael Schumacher, and Nico Rosberg.

Verstappen’s victory on Sunday was far from straightforward. He began the race in second place, trailing Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, who had secured pole position at his team’s home race. Sainz initially withstood Verstappen’s early attempts to challenge his lead on the track, but Verstappen eventually overtook him on lap 15.

Verstappen has now won 12 out of 14 races this season, with his Red Bull Racing teammate Sergio Perez claiming the other two victories. No Formula 1 team has ever won every race in a single season.

On Sunday, Perez finished second, while Sainz managed to hold off his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc to secure third place.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time champion with a consecutive win streak of five, attempted to play down Verstappen’s achievement before the race. He stated that he was no more impressed by Verstappen’s feat than by the accomplishments of other champions like Schumacher, Vettel, and Fernando Alonso. Hamilton also asserted that he believed his teammates had been stronger than Verstappen’s past teammates. In response, Verstappen suggested that Hamilton might be envious of his current success and brushed off his rival’s comments, stating that Hamilton is jealous.