Max Verstappen Breaks New Record
Max Verstappen won in Mexico // Red Bull Content Pool
In a stunning display of skill and strategy at the Mexico City Grand Prix, Max Verstappen made history by clinching his 16th win of the season, breaking his own record of 15 victories set previously.
This monumental achievement not only highlights Verstappen's dominance in the sport but also underscores the exceptional performance of his team throughout the year.
Starting from the third position (P3) on the grid, Verstappen immediately made his presence felt, challenging pole-sitter Charles Leclerc right from the first corner. The race, however, wasn't without its share of drama. Sergio Perez, Verstappen's teammate at Red Bull, collided with Leclerc early in the race, taking him out of contention. Nevertheless, Verstappen navigated through the turmoil, maintaining a lead with a relatively unchallenged path to victory.
The Dutchman's journey to the podium was tactically noteworthy. Initially adopting a two-stop strategy, Verstappen had to pivot to a one-stop plan when the race was halted mid-way due to Kevin Magnussen's severe crash, leading to a red flag. After the restart, Verstappen managed another strong start, setting him on a steady course for his record-breaking win.
Post-race, Verstappen shared his thoughts, noting, “I think that start definitely made it a bit easier for me in the first stint as well, also because I was going to do a two-stop, so that of course gave me those extra couple of seconds that would’ve looked great on the plot anyway if we’d have made it happen. The tyres round here, it’s always very hard to manage but I think we had quite decent pace, then of course we opted to box a bit earlier."
His early pit stop and switch to hard tyres were significant. Verstappen speculated, “It would have been quite interesting to the end to see how much faster I could have gone on the new set of hard tyres, but I think the strategy was looking great." Despite the altered plans due to the red flag, he remained focused on maximizing his advantage.
Reflecting on the fierce competition in the initial stages, particularly the close encounter with Leclerc and Perez at Turn 1, Verstappen appeared unfazed: “It’s not the first time that I’ve been two-wide or three-wide into Turn 1 here. But also we all trust each other, and of course you are all on the limit braking into the corner but it was all fine I think. Then I saw on my outside something happened, but luckily on the inside we could stay out of trouble.”
Horner, Verstappen, Marko and Newey were dominant once again // Red Bull Content Pool
The 2023 season has been extraordinary for Verstappen, having already secured records for the most consecutive wins in a single campaign (10), and now, the most wins in a season. Speaking of his achievements, he said, “It’s been another incredible season. The car’s been unbelievable to drive in most places. When you then, as a team, work really well together you try not to make too many mistakes over the whole season, then you can achieve something like that."
Verstappen's pride in surpassing his previous record of 15 wins is palpable. He remarked, “Of course I’m very proud of the achievement, because I think after last year when I won 15 I was like, well if I can ever try to replicate something like that I would be very happy. Now we are here with 16, so just very happy with everyone’s performance in the team for the whole year, basically not making a lot of mistakes.”
As the season approaches its final stages, Max Verstappen's extraordinary talent and the cohesive performance of his team have already engraved their names in the annals of Formula 1 history. With his latest triumph, Verstappen not only cements his status as a world champion but also raises the bar for what's possible in the pinnacle of motorsport.
