Formula 1: 3 legends Max Verstappen can surpass in 2023

Max Verstappen is one win away from moving up the all-time Formula 1 wins list, and he might be able to climb even further before the 2023 season ends.

Seven races into the 2023 Formula 1 season, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has been running away with the world championship. The two-time reigning world champion has already won five events, and he has opened up a 53-point lead over teammate Sergio Perez.

Perez did manage to win twice, first in Jeddah when Verstappen started in 15th place due to a driveshaft issue in qualifying, and next in Baku when he took advantage of Verstappen losing two positions during an untimely safety car. Verstappen finished in second in both races.

The 25-year-old Dutchman started last season in a 16th place tie on the all-time Formula 1 wins list. With an all-time single season record of 15 wins, he moved all the way up to sixth, passing a total of 11 drivers en route to winning his second straight world title.

Verstappen began the 2023 season with 35 wins, so he now sits at 40. While he still sits in sixth place on the all-time wins list, he is once again on the verge of moving up a spot.

And Max Verstappen may very well move up multiple positions before the 2023 Formula 1 season ends.

Next up on the list is three-time world champion Ayrton Senna, who won 41 races. Verstappen needs just one win to match Senna and two wins to pass him.

Sitting above Senna in fourth place is four-time world champion Alain Prost, who won 51 races, and sitting above Prost in third is four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, who won 53.

Verstappen needs to win at least 14 races to pass Vettel and get to 54 wins, a total which would put him behind only seven-time world champions Lewis Hamilton (103 wins) and Michael Schumacher (91 wins) on the all-time list. There are 15 races left on this year’s schedule.

On paper, Verstappen should be a heavy favorite to win every race in which he competes. So it’s not impossible, especially not in the rocket that is the RB19. Many believe that at the very least, he is poised to break his own single season wins record with 11 more victories, which would bring him level with Prost.

It goes without saying that winning 14 of 15 races will be more of a challenge. As of this moment, he has won 14 of the last 18, and that in itself is arguably the most dominant 18-race stretch Formula 1 has ever seen.

But doing it in just 15 races? He has won three in a row as things stand right now, so that would mean 17 wins in 18 events. You have to consider that there will probably be weekends during which not everything goes perfectly and somebody else capitalizes.

It’s still not unrealistic.

Even with 15 races remaining on the 22-race calendar, Verstappen is already listed at FanDuel Sportsbook as the -4000 favorite to win his third consecutive world championship. Sign up with FanDuel today to take advantage of their special promotion and bet now!

The eighth race on the 2023 Formula 1 schedule is the Canadian Grand Prix, which is set to be broadcast live on ABC from Circuit Gilles Villeneuve beginning at 2:00 p.m. ET this Sunday, June 18. Take advantage of FuboTV’s free trial offer today and don’t miss it!