1. Most consecutive F1 wins
Arguably the toughest record on this list, as a mistake on the track or in the pits can reset the counter to zero. Throughout F1 history, only a select few have won more than five consecutive victories: Alberto Ascari, Michael Schumacher (twice), Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg and now Verstappen. Clearly, the Germans have excelled in this regard, with Vettel scoring the pinnacle with nine straight wins in 2013.
With eight straight wins this season, Verstappen is threatening not only to rewrite the record, but to take it to all-time highs.
What helps his case is that the record-breaking feat could unfold in front of his home crowd at the Dutch GP at Zandvoort, a circuit only he has conquered since returning to the calendar in 2021. The Italian GP in Monza could then be the place where the baton passes from Vettel to Verstappen.
2. Most F1 wins in a season
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB19
Photo by: Erik Junius
Last year, Verstappen eclipsed the previous record of 13 race wins in a single year, set by Michael Schumacher (2004) and Sebastian Vettel (2013), setting a new record of 15 wins in a season. Less than a year later, he is ready for a potential renewal.
Verstappen has already racked up 10 wins in 2023 and given the rich form he is currently in, it would seem unlikely that he will not break the record. All he needs is six more wins from the next 10 races, and the record could be his as early as the United States GP.
As a team, Red Bull have made no mistakes so far, emerging victorious in each of the first 12 rounds. With that, the possibility is great that they could win every race this year. Even the occasional setback – like in Brazil last year – won’t hurt their chances of breaking Mercedes’ record of 19 wins set in 2016. The Milton Keynes-based team need eight wins from the remaining 10 races to win this one.
3. Most points in an F1 season
Verstappen currently has an impressive tally of 314 points, having already surpassed Vettel’s championship win tally from 2010 (256 points) and 2012 (281 points) in just half of this season – but with the addition of additional points thanks to three sprint race events. and bonus point for fastest lap in grand prizes.
His performance is reflected this year by an average of 26.16 points per event (sprint races and bonus points included). At this rate and given the inclusion of three more sprint races to come in Qatar, Austin and Sao Paulo, Verstappen’s season-ending total has the potential to well over the 570-point mark. , breaking the record of 454 points he just set. Last year.
The Dutchman’s score alone will give Red Bull (currently on 503 points) a good chance of beating the team record of 765 points set by Mercedes in 2016. Also, with seven podium finishes this year, Sergio Perez’s contributions cannot be neglected. Every point he adds will only bring them closer to that gigantic target.
4. Biggest margin of victory in the F1 championship
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Red Bull Racing
Another record that Vettel proudly clings to, but maybe not for very long. The German extended his own record from 2011 (122 points) to an impressive 155 points over Fernando Alonso in his final title year in 2013.
Verstappen ventured perilously close to breaking that record in 2022 but fell short, eventually finishing the season with a 146-point lead over Charles Leclerc. However, 2023 presents another opportunity as Verstappen’s lead over Perez (currently at 125 points) hasn’t diminished since the Azerbaijan GP in April. It is therefore very likely that this record will be updated this year.
At present, Red Bull enjoys a comfortable 256-point margin over Mercedes and looks very likely to beat Mercedes’ record gap of 297 set in 2016. However, Mercedes and McLaren’s recent upturn in form could make Red Bull’s journey to the top a bit challenging. A.
5. F1 wins on most different grid locations
In his first seven years in F1, Verstappen had only won in the top four places on the grid. However, from 2022 he has expanded his repertoire by winning from nine different starting positions. His most recent triumph was sixth in the Belgian GP, equaling the overall record held by Fernando Alonso. Remarkably, there are only two grid spots left in the top 10 where Verstappen has yet to win – fifth and eighth.
At last year’s Italian GP almost half of the grid opted to introduce new engine components and subsequently incurred grid penalties, only because Monza offered greater opportunities to overtaking with respect to subsequent races. That scenario could come to fruition again this year, giving Verstappen a real shot at overtaking Alonso’s record.
6. Highest percentage of F1 laps completed in a season
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB19
Photo by: Michael Potts/Motorsport Images
Having already led 567 laps this year, Verstappen looks like a strong contender to break Vettel’s record of 739 laps in the lead, potentially as early as Singapore. What is staggering, however, is that he could also become the first driver to lead 1,000 laps in a season if he maintains his current lap rate of 78%.
Red Bull has asserted its dominance quite strongly by leading over 95% of all laps this season. In contrast, teams like Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren and Aston Martin have collectively only managed 30 laps in the lead. With 10 more races to go, Red Bull could potentially surpass Mercedes’ record of 1055 laps in the lead – set in 2016 – if they lead another 362 laps.
However, to break the all-time record for leading 97% of laps in a race – set by legendary duo Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost for McLaren in 1988 – Red Bull must lead at least 596 of the 602 laps expected in 2023. That would essentially leave only six laps for the others to lead the rest of the year. It seems difficult to overcome, but stranger things have happened in F1.
7. Most consecutive podium finishes in F1
One that has remained untouched for more than two decades. Michael Schumacher’s true mastery was revealed when he finished on the podium in every race of 2002 and the two previous races, creating an impressive streak of 19 consecutive podiums.
Since Abu Dhabi last year, Verstappen has been on the podium in 13 consecutive races and only Alonso (15), Lewis Hamilton (16) and Schumacher (19) are ahead of him. If the defending champion maintains his streak, he will have the chance to rewrite history at Pérez’s home run in Mexico later this year.
Sundaram Ramaswami, also known as F1 StatsGuru, is an F1 statistician and social media content creator.
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