Max Verstappen improves his own record for most wins in a season
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Max Verstappen improved his record for the number of victories won in a season – he now has 17 of them. On Sunday, the Dutchman won the Grand Prix of Sao Paulo, as usual, without giving his opponents a single chance. But no less praise than Verstappen was received from the management of the Red Bull team by its second number, Sergio Perez. Even despite the fact that in the last seconds he missed out on a place on the podium. After all, the Mexican’s fourth place against the backdrop of Lewis Hamilton’s unconvincing performance practically guarantees him second place at the end of the season. This will be the first time in the history of Red Bull that both the championship and vice-championship titles will go to its drivers.
The Red Bull team has won, it would seem, everything they can this season. The number one of the stable, Max Verstappen, won his third championship title ahead of schedule. The team itself also won the Constructors’ Championship ahead of schedule. There seems to be no point in striving in such a situation. However, there is still something that Red Bull management would like to receive. The point is to ensure that his other driver, Sergio Perez, gets second place at the end of the season. This is not to say that anything really important depends on this. But such a double could once again emphasize the total superiority of Red Bull over its competitors. Moreover, never in its history has Red Bull in one season received first and second places in the final classification (the team’s drivers have seven championship titles).
But there was one obstacle standing in the way of the plan to seize formula dominance – the instability of Sergio Perez. The Mexican has been heavily criticized this season, and there are reasons for this. Having at his disposal not just a championship-class car, but one that provides the ability to smash competitors with one left, he often disappoints than gives reasons for optimism. It is not surprising that there is ongoing talk in the paddock that Red Bull, despite the fact that Perez’s contract runs until 2024, is actively looking for a replacement for him.
In Brazil, however, Perez was largely rehabilitated. No, he didn’t win the race. This was out of the question. It was, of course, won by Verstappen. He was the best at the first start, he was the best at the second start (immediately after the start of the race there was a blockage involving several cars, which forced the race directorate to hang out red flags and start all over again half an hour later), he was out of competition along the course. This is Verstappen’s 17th victory of the season and improves his own record. During his career, the Dutchman has already won 52 Grand Prix titles (by this indicator he has surpassed Alain Prost). True, Verstappen still has a long way to go to reach the record – it belongs to Lewis Hamilton (the seven-time world champion has won 103 Grand Prix). Verstappen was also beaten more often by Michael Schumacher (91 times) and Sebastian Vettel (53). Verstappen also ensured that he won at least 77% of races this season (he currently has 85% wins, and with two more races to go, he can improve this figure). This is also a kind of record. Moreover, the previous achievement has been maintained since 1952. Then Alberto Ascari won six of the eight races (75% victories) that made up the championship.
As for Perez, he was fourth. Although he could easily become the third. The Mexican, who made a breakthrough from ninth place, butted heads with Fernando Alonso for a long time. On the 70th lap, he finally overtook him and, apparently, was already preparing to climb onto the podium along with Verstappen and second-placed Lando Norris (McLaren). But the experienced Spaniard took advantage of his opponent’s slight blemish and regained third position, ahead of the Mexican by some 53 thousandths of a second. It was an offensive misfire, of course, but Red Bull boss Christian Horner still called his driver’s performance brilliant and said that “the old Perez is back.”
Surely, however, Horner’s reaction was also influenced by the fact that Mercedes number one Lewis Hamilton performed unsuccessfully in Brazil. Only he had a real chance of displacing Perez from second place in the final classification. But Mercedes did not drive at Interlagos, and Hamilton finished only eighth, and George Russell dropped out of the race altogether. His engine overheated, and the team decided not to continue the race, after which Mercedes boss Toto Wolff called his team’s car “poor.” “We were second in speed both at the last, in Mexico, and at the race before last, in the USA (at the US Grand Prix, Hamilton was deprived of second place for the team’s violation of technical regulations.— “Kommersant”), but nothing worked here. Everything was terrible. I can only sympathize with Lewis and George,” said Mr. Wolf. And Hamilton, in turn, said that he was glad that he would say goodbye to this car forever after just two stages.
Hamilton’s misfire left Perez with a 32-point lead. A huge gap considering that there are only two races left before the end of the championship. It is theoretically possible to win it back, but in practice it is unlikely.
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