Max Verstappen believes that his third Formula One title is his greatest achievement to date. Although winning the championship in a sprint race, Qatar lacked the emotional impact of his dramatic last lap overtake of Lewis Hamilton for the 2021 title. Verstappen insists that his consistently throughout the 2023 season sets this title apart.
Verstappen expressed, “This one is the best one. I think the first one was the most emotional because that’s when your dreams are fulfilled in F1. But this one, in my opinion, has been my best year, especially with consecutive wins. The car itself has also been in the best shape. I’m most proud of this one because of its consistency.”
In Qatar, Verstappen finished second in the sprint race, with his teammate Sergio Perez, the only driver capable of challenging him in the standings, crashing out after a collision with Esteban Ocon’s Alpine.
Oscar Piastri, Verstappen’s McLaren teammate, won the sprint race, an impressive feat for a rookie, although it was somewhat overshadowed by Verstappen’s championship victory. Lando Norris, another McLaren driver, secured third place.
The title race had been virtually decided long before Verstappen’s confirmation on Saturday. His record-breaking ten straight wins from May to September placed him far ahead in the standings, solidifying his place among the sport’s greats, alongside legends such as Ayrton Senna and Niki Lauda.
Verstappen remarked, “I have achieved more than I could have ever dreamed of or set as a goal in F1. So I’m thoroughly enjoying the moment. We’ll see where we end up. It’s already more than I ever thought I could accomplish, so it’s perfect.”
After the sprint race, Verstappen celebrated by standing on top of his car in the pit lane, proudly raising three fingers on his right hand, before joining his team in celebration.
Despite securing the championship, there are still five Grands Prix remaining in the season after Sunday’s race.
Verstappen started the sprint race in third position but had a slow start and dropped to fifth after the first lap. However, he fought his way through the field to make a strong comeback.
During the sprint race, Perez found himself in a three-way battle with Ocon and Nico Hulkenberg’s Haas. Unfortunately, Ocon made contact with Hulkenberg’s wheel, resulting in a spin that caused Perez to crash. Both Ocon and Perez were left stranded in the gravel.
Although a light show was organized in the pit lane to commemorate Verstappen’s championship victory, there was no podium ceremony since it was a sprint race rather than a full Grand Prix. Instead, Verstappen, Piastri, and Norris were presented with plaques for finishing in the top three.
Saturday’s result concluded with immediate clarity, unlike the thrilling and controversial battle with Hamilton that saw Verstappen win his first title in Abu Dhabi in 2021. Additionally, when Verstappen claimed the title at the Japanese Grand Prix last year, there was confusion surrounding the points allocation due to a red flag incident.
Both the Losail circuit in Qatar and the sprint race format are relatively recent additions to Formula One. They were both introduced to the calendar in Verstappen’s first title-winning year in 2021.
At the start of this season, Perez seemed capable of challenging Verstappen, winning two of the first four races. However, he has not won a race since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in April. Mistakes in qualifying hindered Perez, failing to achieve a top 10 start on eight occasions. This has put him at a significant disadvantage on race day.
Following his first Grand Prix podium in Japan two weeks earlier, Piastri secured his maiden F1 race victory in the sprint race, although it did not count as an official Grand Prix win. Reflecting on his achievement, he said, “It’s a bit of a weird feeling because it’s not a race win. It does feel a little bit strange.”
Piastri started the sprint race in pole position but was overtaken by George Russell from the Mercedes team. However, he reclaimed the lead as Russell’s soft-compound tires began to deteriorate.
Before the Qatar Grand Prix race, the FIA, announced it could impose a minimum of three stops with tire changes. This decision made due to concerns about the Pirelli tires sustaining damage when running over the “pyramid” kerbs in Qatar.
The track has already been narrowed at one point to prevent cars from running too wide over the kerbs. The FIA stated that a final decision about Sunday’s race would be reached after they and Pirelli analyze the tires used in the sprint race.
For the newly crowned three time champion, striking a balance between celebration and the reality of racing again on Sunday is the challenge at hand. Verstappen will start the race from pole position.
When asked how he planned to celebrate, Verstappen jokingly replied, “maybe a few sparkling waters tonight. But I’ll be here tomorrow.”
You can see more information on Max’s third Formula One title & full F1 results. from this weekends Qatar GP.