Max Verstappen had scarcely broken a sweat as he etched his name into the Formula One record books, befitting a man at the pinnacle of his profession. After stepping out of his automobile unperturbed and unruffled, he might have enjoyed a Sunday afternoon stroll to the beach. It was a visual representation of his season. In the same way that he had already assuredly won his second world championship, he was unfazed by his unrivaled campaign win total and the race.
The victory of the Dutchman at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodrguez was a continuation of his dominance, albeit, in an unremarkable race, a procession with Verstappen in the lead and unchallenged in beating Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes into second and his Red Bull teammate Sergio Pérez into third, but with it came the magical number.
With his fourteenth victory of the year, Verstappen has established himself as the driver with the most victories in a single F1 season. In 20 races, he has beaten Michael Schumacher’s record of 13 victories in 18 races in 2004 and Sebastian Vettel’s record of 13 victories in 19 races in 2013. With two races remaining, Verstappen has achieved it.
Afterward, as he stood in the amphitheater of the stadium section in front of a loud crowd, he appreciated the occasion but, as expected for a 25-year-old with such lofty F1 aspirations, he was already looking to the future.
“I never imagined I would be able to win 14 races in a single year, and I am quite proud,” he remarked. “We are unquestionably enjoying it, and we will seek out more.”
It would be reckless to wager against it at this point. After a weekend in which Mercedes posed their greatest threat of the season, Verstappen and Red Bull responded with nonchalance. In Mexico City’s thin air, Mercedes’ problem with drag was not as acute, but Verstappen still enjoyed a significant lead in race pace, which he exploited mercilessly and managed tires flawlessly.
In Mexico, Red Bull’s numbers also accumulated to a formidable effect. They have already won nine consecutive races and 16 of 20 this season, both team records. The controversy surrounding their budget cap violation cast a shadow over the weekend, with their protests of an unjustly harsh penalty and other teams deriding the punishment as wholly inadequate. However, on the track, their dominance remains undeniable, a fact that undoubtedly fuels the discontent of their competitors.
On Sunday, this sensation that the team is in jeopardy deepened further. Verstappen and Red Bull are reportedly boycotting Sky Sports for an indefinite period in response to Ted Kravitz’s comment at the US Grand Prix that Lewis Hamilton was “robbed” of his eighth world championship last year.
Verstappen stated that he had certainly lost patience despite his achievements. “This year has been filled with continual digging and contempt, especially toward one individual, and I refuse to take it,” he stated. “If you continue to disrespect me, I will no longer tolerate it, so I’ve chosen to stop responding.”
He had already completed his speech. Mercedes had made a brave effort with their alternate tire strategy, but it was ineffective against Red Bull’s speed. Mercedes’ gamble on hard rubber over Red Bull’s medium was a positive move, but the degradation was not as severe as anticipated, leaving them unable to challenge the world champion.
Mercedes will be disappointed, but they are already planning for next year, whilst Verstappen has every intention of finishing this season with a win total that will be difficult to surpass.
George Russell finished fourth for Mercedes, while Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finished fifth and sixth for Ferrari, respectively. Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris finished seventh and ninth for McLaren, Esteban Ocon finished eighth for Alpine, and Valtteri Bottas finished tenth for Alfa Romeo.
