Verstappen, with everything to be three-time champion
Nobody doubts it: sooner rather than later Max Verstappen will win his third Formula 1 crown. His conquest may be so anticipated that he could seal it in the Qatar GP sprint.
The numbers are clear. The two-time champion will arrive at Losail with an advantage of 177 points over Checo Pérez, his Red Bull teammate and the only driver on the grid with mathematical possibilities of taking the title from him, when there are 180 points left in dispute. The Qatari event (it will be the second visit of the category to the Asian country) has a sprint race (it will be the fourth of the six GPs scheduled in 2023 with this format) and it will be there where Max will be able to unleash the celebration because eight will be put into play units for the winner. If the Mexican managed to win in the short competition on Saturday (it has a third of the duration of a Grand Prix), the Dutchman would only need to finish sixth (he would add three points), because the difference would be 172, the same amount to play . but Pérez can no longer reach the number of wins that his partner (13).
Without a doubt, everything is ready so that on the second day of activity of date 18 of the 2023 World Cup everything will be resolved. It is worth remembering that in the last Japanese GP, Red Bull already dominated the constructors’ title. “It is a lot of fun to drive on the track, although it will be a difficult weekend for all of us because it is very hot. The temperatures will definitely make it interesting. Also, there is a sprint this weekend, so we need to make sure we learn as much as we can in Friday’s practice session. The drivers’ championship can also be won on Saturday and that is our main objective. “Hopefully it will be a Grand Prix to remember!” Verstappen said in the previous press conference.
Nobody doubts that Verstappen will leave Qatar with the third title in his pocket, five dates from the end of the calendar. It will be his third title and will equal the line of Jack Brabham (1959, 1960 and 1966), Jackie Stewart (1969, 1971 and 1973), Niki Lauda (1975, 1977 and 1984) and that of his father-in-law. Nelson Piquet. (1981, 1983 and 1987) and Ayrton Senna (1988, 1990 and 1991). Furthermore, in this same season (with six races in dispute), Verstappen could equal and even surpass Sebastian Vettel in number of wins to place third on the all-time podium. The Dutchman has 48, compared to the German’s 53.