Red Bull: No one 'would be able to repeat' Max Verstappen's phenomenal 2022 F1 season performance

Red Bull boss Christian Horner feels no one will be able to repeat what Max Verstappen achieved this season.

The Dutchman had a splendid 2022 F1 season. Unlike his title campaign in 2021, where everything went down to the wire, it was significantly straightforward this year. Verstappen clinched the title in Japan with a few races to spare and by the time the season was over, he had broken the record for most wins in a season by a driver.

Speaking to motorsport-total, Christian Horner said that Max Verstappen's achievements in 2022, while driving at such a level, would be tough for anyone else to repeat. The Red Bull boss said:

"I think Max is driving at a level where I'm not sure anyone with the way he is driving at the moment, would be able to repeat what he has done this year."

At the FIA Gala recently, even Max Verstappen admitted that his 2022 F1 championship was more fulfilling and rewarding for him as compared to his first title. He said:

"The emotions are very different, but I think they should be different, because your whole life you aim for one particular goal, and that's to become a world champion. The first one is always very emotional once you achieve it, but this year's been very different. I do think we were more competitive this year, and also I think more enjoyable with the way we were performing as a whole team. You know, we want the Drivers' and the Constructors', we had a lot of victories as a team, so I would say this one is better and more rewarding."

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The title in 2021 was very emotional: Max Verstappen

Elaborating further, Max Verstappen said that while it was tough for him to choose between his two titles, his first was very emotional as it came on the last lap of the season. He said:

"They're both very different. I couldn't choose because the first one was very emotional. I would not want to swap that out for this year's. Maybe if I had a third, then I can choose! This year has been really, really enjoyable. Last year was the first time that I was in a fight to win a title, so that was the first time you get that kind of experience, [but] I cannot choose [between the two]."

Next season will feature Verstappen hoping to defend a title that he has won for two years in a row. It will be interesting to see how he overcomes the challenge from a rejuvenated Mercedes and Ferrari.