Verstappen is inching nearer to Alonso’s win complete, can he proceed his sizzling streak and move the two-time champion by the top of the 12 months?
There is no such thing as a doubt that Max Verstappen has been the category of the Formulation One subject in 2022. His eight first-half wins have him 80 factors forward of rival Charles Leclerc and put him because the clear championship favourite. As he closes in on a second-straight championship, nevertheless, he’s additionally closing in on a fellow champion on the all-time F1 wins record.
Verstappen presently sits at eighth on the record with 28 all-time wins, simply 4 behind Fernando Alonso, who’s sixth all-time with 32. Earlier than trying forward although, let’s have a look at how Max obtained right here.
Verstappen’s climb from Rookie to Champion
The reigning champion’s potential was acknowledged by these within the paddock proper from his debut in 2015 at simply 17 years previous. However he couldn’t translate it into many wins early on as Pink Bull struggled to compete with Mercedes’ dominance within the turbo-hybrid period. Max logged simply 10 wins in his first six years in F1. However since Pink Bull gave him a championship-caliber automotive in 2021, he has dominated, profitable 18 races within the final 12 months and a half, and inching nearer towards back-to-back championships.
Now with the precise automotive, expertise, and uncooked expertise, Max appears untouchable some weekends and a possible podium-sitter on even his worst ones. With 9 races remaining in 2022, he wants 4 wins to tie Alonso and 5 to overhaul him. At the moment, not many would scoff on the notion of him profitable all 9 remaining races like former Pink Bull famous person Sebastian Vettel in 2013, however there’ll inevitably be some adversity someplace. So let’s check out the place Max is most definitely to maneuver up the record this season.
Whole Wins in F1 #MaxVerstappen -28#Alonso – 32
Will Max Verstappen overcome Fernando Alonso when it comes to most wins by the top of this season ? #Formula1 pic.twitter.com/jm6XFCleMG
— FirstSportz F1 Information (@FirstsportzF1) August 21, 2022
Most Probably Wins
Zandvoort
- Max’s dwelling race, and one which he’ll push laborious to win. His win eventually 12 months’s Dutch Grand Prix was clean crusing, and your entire weekend was a celebration for the Dutch Military. I’ll pencil him in for one more robust efficiency amidst the orange smoke this 12 months.
Mexico Metropolis
- Verstappen is a three-time winner in Mexico Metropolis together with final 12 months’s race. It’s certainly one of his strongest tracks and the Honda (now Pink Bull Powertrains) engine at all times excels at excessive altitudes. Perhaps he throws his teammate Sergio Perez a bone if the championship is wrapped up by then, however there’s little doubt Max will probably be amongst the favorites when F1 rolls into Mexico.
Abu Dhabi
- Outdoors of his first 12 months with Toro Rosso, Max has completed within the high 5 in each journey to Yas Marina, together with four-straight podiums and two-straight wins. It’s one other certainly one of his strongest circuits and although it may not be as intense of a weekend as final 12 months, I count on Verstappen to win to wrap up a powerful season.
Brazil
- One of many tracks that Verstappen wasn’t capable of conquer final 12 months, however he has three straight podiums in Interlagos together with a win in 2019. It’s one other high-altitude circuit and had it not been for Lewis Hamilton pulling out a legendary weekend final 12 months Max could possibly be going for three-straight victories right here. I count on he’ll have one other stable efficiency this 12 months.
Wouldn’t Be Shocked
Spa-Francorchamps
- Max carried out effectively right here prior to now, however has but to win an precise “race” at Spa, capturing his solely win in final 12 months’s two-lap parade. Don’t depend out Verstappen to win this weekend, however it’s much less of a assure than the others, particularly with Ferrari trying to make an announcement to start the second half.
United States
- Max placed on a present final 12 months in Austin holding off Lewis Hamilton within the last laps, dethroning Mercedes on certainly one of their strongest tracks. He’s been stable in Austin all through his profession, however Ferrari and Mercedes could also be nearer right here than at different circuits.
Japan
- Verstappen hasn’t received at Suzuka, however he logged three-straight podiums earlier than a mechanical failure in 2019. This will probably be his first shot at Suzuka in a championship-caliber automotive, so the potential is there, however the historical past doesn’t again it up.
An Uphill Battle
Monza
- Max has by no means run effectively at Monza, together with his highest end being fifth. He retired from the final two races and I don’t belief the monitor report sufficient to have him as a real contender for the Italian Grand Prix
Singapore
- One other monitor Verstappen has but to win at, it could be one other battle in 2022. The sluggish corners and lack of lengthy straights will seemingly favor Ferrari and will show robust for Verstappen as he seems to win for the primary time in Marina Bay.
The Verdict
So there we’ve got it, Max’s probabilities at wins for the remaining F1 races. He has a really robust likelihood at passing Alonso this 12 months given his present kind, and he might have his sights set on some legends larger on the record very quickly. It needs to be stated that although some races rank larger than others, Max and Pink Bull are in uncommon kind for the time being, so he shouldn’t be discounted at any circuit. Now it’s time to see if Max can proceed to cement his legacy and climb additional up the all-time wins record in 2022.
Prediction: Max Verstappen picks up 4 wins from the ultimate 9 rounds this season to tie Fernando Alonso heading into 2023.
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Featured Picture Credit score: Dan Mullan / Getty Photographs / Pink Bull Content material Pool