Max Verstappen could become a 50-time Formula 1 winner if he triumphs at this weekend's United States Grand Prix, at Circuit of the Americas (COTA).
Red Bull's triple F1 World Champion is the outright favourite to win the 11th edition of the United States GP at COTA, where Verstappen is hunting a hat-trick of victories, having won at the venue in Austin, Texas, in 2021 and 2022. On his current form, you can just about make that 2023 as well.
It's a remarkable feat for the Dutchman, as have been all his 14 GP victories this year in 17 races held thus far. Sunday in Austin will be his 181st start in the top flight.
As for his triple F1 titles as a 26-year-old, it's worth noting his nemesis - Lewis Hamilton - at the same age was only a single-time F1 World Champ. On the other hand, Sebastian Vettel was onto his fourth, and last.
Speaking ahead of what could be a milestone race Sunday, Verstappen made all the right soundbites in the RBR preview of the United States GP: "I'm really looking forward to the race in Austin this weekend, as a Team we have a lot of special memories from there. The atmosphere at the track is also like no other, there are so many Oracle Red Bull Racing fans there to cheer us on.
"It is of course another Sprint race so it could be quite hectic for us, we only have one session to try and find the optimum balance in the car. The temperatures look to be high too so I'm expecting another tough race. I'm also excited to see the new special fan-designed livery on the car, it's going to be cool," concluded Verstappen.
The Dutch ace lies fifth on the all time list of F1 winners, with Alain Prost ahead of him on 51, Vettel on 53, Michael Schumacher on 91 and Hamilton top of the table, on 103 wins.
Perez: I know I have to get back to my best at COTA
In the other Red Bull, Sergio Perez is a driver not doing enough to win. With the same car Verstappen has, Perez is making a mountain of what should've been a molehill to bag second place in the 2023 F1 title race.
The spotlight is very much on the Mexican veteran who began his season so well, but the last time F1 was in the States for the Miami GP marked the end of his title charge (if there was ever one) and an alarming spiral in his form.
To the point that his seat is at stake, depending on which lobbyists you believe he's either on his way out because Helmut Marko has had enough, or that RBR will keep things this way as they have wrapped up the double either way. Or he has the final five races to shut up his detractors.
Previewing the weekend in Austin, Perez dispensed with niceties before touching on how he needs to raise his game: "I’m looking forward to the next few weeks of racing. Austin and Mexico are two of my favourite weeks of the year, I have such incredible support in both places and that means a lot to me. Even when you can’t hear it in the car, you can feel it.
"I know I have to get back to my best at COTA, it’s a fun circuit to drive and I am confident we can perform there. I was in Milton Keynes last week working very hard with the Team to ensure we are as best prepared as possible for the coming weeks.
"We had some good conversations and I spent time with my engineers to ensure we know where we have been going right, where things have gone wrong and how we can improve," added Perez, who lies second in the F1 Championship standings, after 17 Rounds. Hamilton is 30 behind.
Last year Verstappen won the race in Austin, and with it sealed the 2022 F1 World title on the occasion.
Red Bull select Facts & Stats ahead of the United States GP weekend
- On the weekend Max became a triple World Champion, he also broke the record for most laps led in a single season, 739, with five races still remaining in 2023.
- Max’s victory in the Qatar Grand Prix was also his 14th consecutive win when starting from pole position, extending what is the longest streak in Formula 1 history after he broke Michael Schumacher’s record earlier this season.
- Max’s next victory will be his 50th in F1, at the age of 26, and will see him fifth on the all-time win list. It will also be his 30th GP victory since the start of last season.
- Having increased his lead over Lewis Hamilton to 30 points following the Qatar GP, Checo remains on course to ensure Oracle Red Bull Racing finished first and second in the Drivers’ Championship for the first time.
- Max currently leads the Drivers’ Championship by 209 points, surpassing the largest-ever winning margin which came in 2013, when Red Bull Racing’s Seb Vettel won the Championship by 155 points.
- This weekend is the 200th GP of the turbo hybrid era. F1 first adopted the energy-efficient power unit rules at the beginning of 2014.
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