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Max Verstappen broke Sebastian Vettel's longstanding record for the most wins with Red Bull in F1 at the Monaco Grand Prix. The Dutchman earned his fourth victory of the year and his 39th victory as a Red Bull driver, surpassing Vettel's record of 38.
The two-time world champion stormed to victory on the streets of Monte Carlo for the second time in his career, showing that the RB19 has pace even in unfavorable circumstances. The 25-year-old delivered what was perhaps one of the best final sectors the sport has ever seen in qualifying, narrowly snatching pole position away from Fernando Alonso.
Verstappen was flawless in Monaco despite the tricky conditions. The driver came close to the wall a number of times but avoided damaging his trusty RB19. Speaking about breaking Vettel's record with win number 39, Max Verstappen said:
“If you have a good car for a while, you can break these kinds of numbers. But yeah, it's great. I mean, I would have never thought that I would be in this position in my career. When I grew up, I wanted to be a Formula 1 driver and winning these races is amazing. It's better than I could have ever imagined, for sure.”
Max Verstappen opens up about the final races of the 2021 season
In a recent interview, Max Verstappen claimed that the 2021 Formula 1 season, where he secured his inaugural drivers' championship, was the most thrilling and demanding experience of his entire career.
Approaching the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Verstappen found himself engaged in an intense battle with Lewis Hamilton for the title. In order to prevent Hamilton from clinching his eighth F1 crown and to secure his own maiden championship, Verstappen needed to emerge triumphant in the race.
Hamilton showcased his exceptional skills at the Yas Marina Circuit, swiftly claiming the lead on the opening lap and maintaining dominance for a significant portion of the race. Just when it seemed that Hamilton was poised to defend his title, Nicholas Latifi collided with the wall at Turn 14, dramatically altering the course of the race.
Strategically, Verstappen chose to enter the pit lane and acquire a fresh set of soft tires. Leveraging these tires, he executed a remarkable maneuver, overtaking Hamilton on the inside at Turn 5 and seizing his first championship in the process.
Speaking about the intensity of that part of the season, Max Verstappen said:
"2021 was also my first option to win a title. I knew I had to make everything perfect. It's the most intense I've ever felt, fighting every weekend. Now I am much more relaxed. But I want to do more. Past experiences help."
It will be interesting to watch the Dutchman's outing in Barcelona this weekend at the Spanish GP.
