Formula 1: 3 things to watch for as the season winds down
The 2022 Formula 1 season has been the year of Max Verstappen and Red Bull. But there is still plenty up for grabs as the season approaches its finale.
Fresh off one of the most exciting Formula 1 seasons in years, the 2022 campaign failed to live up to the hype of the previous year. Max Verstappen has put up a near historic performance, and Red Bull have emerged as the top team by a country mile.
Verstappen has won a total of 13 races this season, while Red Bull have had at least one driver on the podium in every race since a double DNF in Bahrain to start the season. Furthermore, the Red Bull duo of Verstappen and Sergio Perez have finished 1-2 in five races this season. The only other team to have a 1-2 finish this season is Ferrari, back in March in Bahrain.
After Verstappen clinched his second consecutive world championship in a rain-soaked Japanese Grand Prix, Red Bull clinched their first constructor championship since 2013 in the United States Grand Prix. While the season has been essentially wrapped up, there are still plenty of storylines that could transpire over the next three races.
3 things to watch before 2022 ends: No. 1 – There’s still history to be made
Let’s face it: this season’s storyline has been dominated by Verstappen and Red Bull. But even though they’ve both won their respective championships, there is still plenty on the line.
After a breathtaking victory for Verstappen in the United States Grand Prix, he has now tied the record for the most wins in a single Formula 1 season, joining Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel at 13 wins. There are still three races for Verstappen to lay claim to having the most dominant season in Formula 1 history and win a remarkable 14th race.
Consequently, Verstappen is also on pace to break Lewis Hamilton’s single season record for the most points scored in a season. Hamilton’s record stands at 413 points scored in 2019, in a 21-race season.
Should Verstappen win in Mexico, he will surpass Hamilton’s record by three points (or four if he has the fastest lap) in just 20 races. In fact, he won’t have to win any of the last races to pass Hamilton.
That’s right. In fact, Verstappen is in such an advantageous position that he could finish each Grand Prix in the top six and still pass Hamilton’s record. That’s completely disregarding the sprint race in Brazil, and Verstappen has excelled in those races this season, having won both thus far.
Needless to say, Verstappen surpassing 413 points is near inevitable.
Speaking of Hamilton, he’s still trying to win his first race of the season. His career has seen him win at least one race in each of his 15 seasons, but he is running out of time to extend it to what would be a record 16 straight seasons.
Sunday’s race in Austin was his closest chance yet, but Verstappen was able to overcome a disastrous 11-second pit stop to swipe first from the legendary British driver.
The final races are must-see. Hamilton has had some iconic drives in Sao Paulo, and he is surely looking to avenge his loss in Abu Dhabi from the previous season. The world will be watching to see if he can salvage a win in what has been a down season by his standards.