Being a two-time world champion is something that most F1 drivers can only dream of, but with Max Verstappen now winning two in a row, who can stop him from extending his dominance?
The Dutchman wrapped up his second title in Japan last weekend amid some confusion after the grand prix, after full points were awarded despite only around half of the race distance being completed.
With this title being significantly more comfortable compared to the drama of Abu Dhabi last year, many fans are tipping Verstappen to have a Lewis Hamilton-esque period of dominance.
Between 2014 and 2020, Lewis Hamilton won six world titles, taking his total to seven, with the only other winner being his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg in 2016.
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With Red Bull seemingly mastering the regulation changes that came this year, many fans can see them having an era of dominance, giving Verstappen the chance to chase down Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton’s joint record of seven titles.
In recent poll of Formula 1 fans, a massive 21.6% believe the Dutchman will go on to win as many as eight driver’s championships, surpassing the current record.
This might serve as a warning for Hamilton because while Verstappen is not exactly breathing down his neck, being five titles behind, the gap in performance this year between Red Bull and the rest of the challengers, especially Mercedes, was significant.
Some fans remain doubtful of the 25-year-old’s ability to create such a legacy, with an astounding 31% of fans in the poll failing to see him winning even one more title.
This could be for a number of reasons.
Firstly, while the Red Bull was quick this year, it was often matched by the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, with mistakes by the team and poor strategy putting the team out of contention rather than just a lack of race pace.
If Ferrari can refine their decision making process, they potentially have drivers and a car capable of challenging Verstappen.
There could also be an argument that Verstappen will not even stay in the sport long enough to break these records, with drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso still racing at 37 and 41, respectively.
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“I don’t see myself driving until I’m 40 because I want to also do other stuff,” he told Sky.
“I’m having a lot of fun with what I’m doing right now and I’m still in F1 for a couple more years… I’m signed until 2028.
“After that, it also depends how everything is going but I will probably try to do a few different kinds of racing because it’s important also to try different things.”