Formula One: Max Verstappen wins third consecutive world title after second place finish in Qatar Sprint race

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won his third consecutive Formula One Championship after finishing second in the Qatar GP Sprint race on Saturday (Oct 7). The seven-point win saw the Belgian-Dutch speedster officially clinch his third title having first tasted success in 2021. With 407 points Verstappen’s close compatriot and teammate at Red Bull, Sergio Perez (223) would no longer overtake him in the standings, which guaranteed him the world title before the main race in Sunday’s Qatar GP.

Max takes home the title

Heading into the Qatar GP, Verstappen had an unprecedented lead of 177 points over second place Perez. With 180 points to race for before the Sprint Race, Perez needed the gap to be narrowed down to 171 points or less to take the championship fight to the main race day of Qatar GP. However, Perez’s poor finish coupled with the 25-year-old’s second place finish in the Sprint Race saw the gap widen to 184 points. With just 172 points to play for after the Sprint Race, Verstappen remains the outright leader of the Driver’s Championship, making it mathematically impossible for any other driver to leapfrog him.

The championship title sees him add to his titles from 2021 and 2022, with the former being a closer encounter with Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton. This season, Verstappen has won 13 races including seven races with the fastest lap while taking the pole position in 10 races including Sunday’s Qatar GP. Astonishingly, Verstappen ended with 15 podium finishes, a new F1 record with six races remaining in the season. The now triple-time World Champion also won the two Sprint Races in Belgium and Austria to add to his impressive tally.

Along with teammate Perez, they guaranteed Red Bull the Constructors Championship after the conclusion of the Japanese GP earlier in September. Red Bull won 15 races this season with Max and Sergio on the podium multiple times. The win was also Red Bull’s sixth championship as they have dominated the moto sport once again.

With five complete races still to go, the Dutch champion will now look to put the icing on the cake with cherries on the top on Sunday when he takes pole position in Qatar GP’s main race.

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