'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQP/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAITJyD//xAAfEAACAQMFAQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMABREEBxITIaH/2gAIAQEAAT8A3DuxnuiQ68TTL0GICSXLIhGRx+mgzYHlf//EABcRAQADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEABDP/2gAIAQIBAT8ArZjP/8QAGREBAAIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQASAnGR/9oACAEDAQE/AKmBU30J/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Max Verstappen is on the verge of becoming a two-time world champion this season. What is, however, interesting is not precisely what meets the eye. 11 wins in 16 races is impressive, and so is a 5-race win streak he's on right now. But there's more to the brilliance of Max Verstappen that is helping him stretch the gap he has over the rest of the grid.
Verstappen is on a 5-race win streak, and if we are fair to the Red Bull driver, it's not just 'the car.' The driver has a huge role to play. With every passing race, Max Verstappen consolidates his stronghold at the sport's top. The following are the three key areas where he becomes untouchable by his peers.
Max Verstappen is on track to become one of the best drivers ever
1) Consistency
When was the last time Max Verstappen underperformed or achieved a sub-optimal result? In the last two seasons, you'd have to stretch and say the 2022 F1 Monaco GP was one such race. The Red Bull driver was beaten by his teammate Sergio Perez that weekend.
Besides, it's hard to pick a race where Max Verstappen has had an off-weekend. This was his hallmark last season, and this has also been his hallmark this season. In the 2021 F1 season, this was arguably one reason Verstappen won the title. Lewis Hamilton arguably had better peaks in performance. His performance in Brazil was spectacular, and there were a few others where he was unmatched.
At the same time, though, Hamilton had his off-weekends. He struggled in Monaco. Baku was a mistake (whether Mercedes and Hamilton accept it); Austria was a bad weekend, and so was Turkey. While Verstappen could continue performing at a very high level, Hamilton recorded hs and lows.
There has been a similar case against Charles Leclerc this season. While Verstappen has continued to perform very high, Leclerc has had a few bad ones like Imola and Paul Ricard. This particular quality has helped Verstappen stretch his legs and pull out a gap against his opposition.
2) Race IQ
Remember what happened at Silverstone last season? That was one of the flashing points of the season as Lewis Hamilton sent Max Verstappen crashing into the barriers. Hamilton was to blame. He got the requisite penalty. In the larger scheme of things, Hamilton did not lose anything. He won the race and cut a massive chunk off Verstappen's lead.
Verstappen had already shown in the sprint race that he had the speed to march off into the distance. He had a clear speed advantage over Hamilton that weekend.
What if he was not that aggressive at the start of the race? What if he had let Lewis take the lead on lap one and then passed him later in the race using his superior race pace? Worst case scenario, he would have finished second in the race and still scored 18 points instead of the zero he had next to his name.
It appears that Verstappen has gone back and looked at that particular incident and learned from it. The Red Bull driver is now more cautious in the wheel-to-wheel battle. He maintains ruthlessness when needed, but there is a calculation in how he approaches some of these moves.
This is the latest development Max Verstappen has made in his game, making him an even better version of himself.
3) Performing under pressure
Max Verstappen's had a rather strict upbringing at the hands of his father, Jos Verstappen, and it has shaped his F1 career. One of the few awesome things to watch last season was the Red Bull driver's ability to compete under severe pressure.
He was up against a championship-winning juggernaut that had not lost in seven seasons. Red Bull also struggled to keep up with Mercedes at the end of the last season. Even then, Max Verstappen pulled off a stunning pole lap at Abu Dhabi.
Even this season, after the first three races, Verstappen suffered two DNFs and trailed Charles Leclerc by more than 40 points. At this juncture, in the very next race in Imola, he achieved a perfect score of 34 points and bounced right back into the championship.
Max Verstappen has taken over the crown as the king of F1, and he's not slowing down! If they catch up to him, his competitors will have to make significant improvements.
Disclaimer: This article reflects the opinions of the writer.
