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Max Verstappen downplayed his 13-race record win of equalling Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel. The Dutchman felt the long F1 calendars in modern times exaggerated the statistics.
Speaking at the post-race press conference in Austin, the Red Bull driver said:
“I mean, I’ve said before that we are also doing more races a year, so they are not always justifiable. I mean, I think, yeah, we are having an amazing season, but of course when you have a great car, you can win a lot of races.”
Max Verstappen has never been fascinated with statistics and records in the past. It was the same when he was asked about equalling Schumacher and Vettel’s record of 13 wins in a season. While he is proud to win races, he feels it is easier to break records with a competitive car.
Max Verstappen has already shifted focus to the 2023 season
After eclipsing the record of 13 wins in a season, Max Verstappen revealed that he will try and clinch more wins before the 2022 season concludes. However, the Dutchman believes it is necessary to shift focus to the 2023 season and carry the learnings of the current season into developing next year’s car.
Speaking to F1 TV ahead of the Mexican GP weekend, the Dutchman said:
“It’s not about what’s left to prove, it’s more about learning more from the car, what we can apply to next year. Of course, we’ll try to win [the last three races], but that naturally comes if the car is in a good state, a good window.”
Max Verstappen has already won 13 out of 19 races so far, with three more race weekends left on the calendar. With the driver’s title and Red Bull's constructors title wrapped up for the 2022 season, it is understandable that the Dutchman and his team will shift their focus to the 2023 season.
Meanwhile, beyond the anticipation of Verstappen's possible 14th season win, the next best narrative relates to the battle for P2 this season. As we head to Mexico, Red Bull are still in a position to finish the year with a 1-2. The Dutchman's teammate, Sergio Perez, trails second-placed Charles Leclerc of Ferrari by just two points.
The fight between the Austrian outfit and the Prancing Horse is bound to deliver some captivating racing entertainment.
