DOHA, Qatar — Max Verstappen wrapped up his third Formulation One championship on Saturday with six races to spare.
Verstappen secured the title as his nearest title rival and teammate Sergio Perez crashed out on lap 11 of the 23-lap dash race after colliding with Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg.
Verstappen turns into the primary driver to safe the title in a race below the format launched in 2021. His dominant season has included a report 10 straight victories between Might’s Miami Grand Prix and September’s Italian Grand Prix.
Ought to he win the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday, he might be one victory away from matching his personal report of 15 wins in a single season from final 12 months.
Fittingly for a season which has been so one-sided, Verstappen made some historical past in how he secured it, changing into the primary driver in 40 years to clinch on a Saturday.
The final driver to take action was Nelson Piquet, the daddy of Verstappen’s long-term girlfriend Kelly, on the 1987 Japanese Grand Prix.