Max Emilian Verstappen (Hasselt, 1997) is already a three-time Formula 1 world champion. The indomitable Dutchman continues to expand his legend and joins the select club of the ‘tri’, along with the legendary Jack Brabham, Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, ??Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna. The Red Bull driver completed his task in the Sprint race – the short race – of the Qatar Grand Prix with second position, although without needing to finish the race, since thanks to Checo Pérez’s abandonment in the 11th lap, the Dutchman He was automatically a three-time champion. The quick and easiest way.
At the Lusail desert circuit, Verstappen had everything in his sights to be crowned exceptionally on a Saturday – for the seventh time in history it did not happen on a Sunday -, courtesy of the Sprint race and the 177 points he accumulated over his teammate and immediate pursuer. Sergio Checo Pérez. He only needed to add 3 more points (a 6th place), and the Mexican could only delay the Dutchman’s coronation if he finished in the top three and Max did not score. It didn’t happen.
The short race, 19 laps, began with emotion, more to see Verstappen suffer than because of major surprises. The Dutchman started badly, from 3rd on the grid to 5th, he did not want to take risks in the funnel of the first corner, and he was easily overtaken by Russell and the two Ferraris, with Sainz third and Leclerc fourth. Alonso rose from 9th to 7th and Pérez fell from 8th to 11th place; In those positions, Max was already champion.
After a safety-car on the first lap – due to Lawson’s Alpha Tauri leaving the track – Russell, very aggressive, took the lead by overtaking Piastri on the restart. The action was neutralized again with a second safety car, a lap later, due to another departure from the track by Sargeant’s Williams.
On the second restart (v. 6/19), Russell remained firmly in front, Sainz attacked Piastri for second place without being able to overtake him, and Alonso moved up to 7th by overtaking Ocon. Verstappen got closer to the title by overtaking the two Ferraris and placing third.
The little excitement that was left in the short race suddenly disappeared with the abandonment of Checo Pérez, who collided with Hülkenberg’s Haas and Ocon’s Alpine on lap 11. Verstappen, third at that moment, was mathematically champion, without having crossed the finish line, with 7 laps still to go.
He was not satisfied with that position. The Dutchman overtook Russell to climb to second place and close his coronation party with a more dignified result. The Sprint victory went to rookie Oscar Piastri.
If his first title, in 2021, was full of emotion (and controversy), in that heart-stopping finale in Abu Dhabi, dethroning Lewis Hamilton in the last lap, and the second, in 2022, was lackluster due to the confusion of the FIA in the distribution of points in the rain in Japan, the third, in Qatar, could not be more predictable.
It was a celebrated championship, in which the Dutchman has had practically no opposition, neither internally from his teammate Checo Pérez, nor from rivals, from some Ferraris that have only been able to achieve one victory (Carlos Sainz in Singapore) and an Aston Martin with Fernando Alonso who has never really intimidated him despite having grown to podium positions.
Thus, Verstappen’s 2023 has been overwhelming, the most authoritative title he has achieved: he has been proclaimed champion six races in advance (like Schumacher in 2002), having achieved 81% of victories (13 in 16 races), with record of consecutive wins (10, from Miami to Italy), without any real threat, since his immediate pursuer, Checo Pérez, was soon left behind by more than two races (after the victory in Montmeló). His superiority, not just numerical, has been palpable on the track, with races leading alone or with large advantages at the finish line.
