Formula One: Max Verstappen in 2018 championship contention?

Max Verstappen is emerging as Formula One’s next superstar. But will he be in championship contention as early as the 2018 season?

Max Verstappen, 20, won his first career Formula One race last season in his first career race driving for Red Bull Racing after one full season and four races last season driving for Scuderia Toro Rosso, the Red Bull Racing junior team.

However, Verstappen then went on a 30-race winless streak after that. There were many races during that streak in which his car experienced mechanical issues, however, so it was not all his fault that he was not winning during that 30-race span.

Despite the fact that he did not expect to win a race this season, Verstappen ended that winless streak with a dominant win in this year’s Malaysian Grand Prix, and he followed it up with finishes of 2nd place and 4th place in the Japanese Grand Prix and the United States Grand Prix, respectively, before winning his second race of the season and third career race in the Mexican Grand Prix, which he also pulled off in dominant fashion.

Given the fact that his car hasn’t experienced any mechanical issues in a few months, we have seen how great Max Verstappen can really perform, and that is at an extremely high level that will likely only get higher, as he is still just 20 years old. The question is, will it reach a level that puts him in championship contention as early as next season?

Max Verstappen in 2018 championship contention: BUY

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Max Verstappen looks poised to be in contention for the 2018 Formula One champion for a few reasons. Number one is the fact that Red Bull Racing appears to have resolved the reliability issues with his car, as he is currently on the hottest streak of his career and is the hottest driver in the sport.

Number two is the fact that he has been able to be as dominant as he has been over the course of the last four races, which shows that he can be a contender up front and win pretty much anywhere as well as the fact that he can beat anybody. And number three is the fact that four-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton, who just secured his fourth career championship in the Mexican Grand Prix less than two weeks ago, thinks Verstappen will be a championship threat in the 2018 season, as does Verstappen himself.

Here is what Hamilton had to say about Verstappen potentially challenging him for the Formula One championship next season, per ESPN.

"“I want to be better next year. The challenge is going to be even bigger from Ferrari and Red Bull next year. Formula One doesn’t sleep. It doesn’t stand still. There is always someone there waiting to take my position. I’ve got Max sitting there waiting to take it. I’ve got to raise the game another level in order to stay ahead of him and that motivates me. There’s my motivation already for next year.”"

And here is what Verstappen had to say about potentially challenging Hamilton for the title next season, per Motorsport.com.

"“He is a great driver and he really deserved it this year because he was the most consistent and fastest driver from the guys who were fighting for the championship. But yeah, I would love to [fight with Hamilton]. Hopefully we can do that already next year…Of course, otherwise I wouldn’t be driving in Formula 1. I would do something else if I thought I was not able to do it.”"

Next: Looking back at Lewis Hamilton's record-setting accomplishment

Will Max Verstappen ultimately end up being in championship contention in the 2018 Formula One season, or will he have to settle for another year during which he is out of championship contention but still battling for a top 5 position in the final standings? He certainly looks ready to make a jump, but will that jump be to the top of the standings in the world’s most popular open-wheel racing series, and will it happen as soon as next year? We should know in a few months once the 2018 season gets started.

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