The flying Dutchman Max Verstappen is officially the greatest ever Formula One driver, after winning his 10th straight race at Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza and breaking the previous record of 9 wins in a row.
He has also won 12 of 14 this season, is on track to break his own record of 16 wins in a season, and is only 90 points away from breaking his own record season total of 454 points set last year.
Oh – and he’s won 21 of the last 25 Grand Prix.
Red Bull Racing maintained their perfect team record of 14 wins from all 14 Grand Prix so far this year, became the first racing team to win 15 Grand Prix consecutively, and could well finish the year breaking the record for most wins by a constructor in a season (19). Even an unprecedented undefeated season is looking more and more likely.
The team has won 24 of the last 25 races and 31 of the last 35.
Max Verstappen. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
You get the picture. The best driver ever in the best car. His Mexican teammate Sergio Perez, despite driving exactly the same car, has not been able to match Verstappen’s exploits. He finished 2nd in this race, but has not been anywhere near as dominant as Verstappen, winning only two races and finishing 2nd behind Verstappen only four times. He has even finished as low as 16th.
There are rumours Australia’s Daniel Ricciardo may return to Red Bull as Perez’s replacement next season from Red Bull’s development team Alpha Tauri.
Ricciardo did not race at Monza after breaking his wrist and requiring surgery last weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix in a collision during practice with compatriot Oscar Piastri. He may well be out for a month.
New Zealand F1 rookie Liam Lawson stepped into Ricciardo’s car and finished an impressive 12th on debut. He followed this up with 11th in Sunday’s race at Monza. If he can continue with results like those he will drive himself into a permanent F1 seat.
MacLaren’s Aussie Oscar Piastri continued his impressive first season in F1 by qualifying 7th, but unfortunately was involved in three incidents which cost him places. One with his English teammate Lando Norris, where Norris had been called to pit a lap earlier, and after Piastri’s pit stop Norris came out slightly in front (the ‘undercut’). Piastri tried to take back the position, there was wheel-to-wheel contact and both were lucky to escape without damage.
The second incident was with Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes which was Hamilton’s fault. Hamilton received a 5 second time penalty and apologised to Piastri after the race. Piastri was also penalised 5 seconds for running over a chicane in a botched overtaking attempt on Lawson and refusing to give the position back as he was required to.
As a result of these three incidents Piastri finished out of the points in a disappointing 12th place, probably his worst race of the season. Apart from this race, he has had a great rookie season thus far, impressing pundits and fans alike with how quickly he has adapted, matched far more experienced drivers, and even on occasion outdriven them.
Third placed Carlos Sainz of Spain and Ferrari takes the chequered flag ahead of 4th placed Charles Leclerc. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Ferrari’s Spaniard and Monagesque drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finished 3rd and 4th at their team’s home Grand Prix, a racetrack with an average speed of more than 250km/h, which perhaps reduced the Ferrari’s performance deficit slightly with Red Bull.
Sainz qualified in pole position and led the race for the first 15 laps before Verstappen and then later Perez overtook him. Sainz and Leclerc fought hard right up until the checkered flag but Sainz held on for his first podium finish this season and just Ferrari’s fourth podium finish this year, making thousands of Ferrari fans in the Monza stands and around the world very happy.
The records have tumbled and will probably continue to as this season rolls on, such is the dominance of the newly crowned GOAT of Formula One racing, at just the tender age of 25 years old. We’re also witnessing the most dominant racing team in history break all kinds of records. If Red Bull go undefeated for the whole year that would be one of the greatest achievements not just in motor racing, but in all sports. So strap in and enjoy the ride!
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