Will Verstappen pass Vettel again with a record in Qatar?
Red Bull Content Pool
F1 News
- Toby McLuskie
Max Verstappen is on a record hunt in 2023. The Dutchman is enjoying an unprecedented dominant season with Red Bull Racing and has already broken several records. This weekend in Qatar, Verstappen can secure his third world title, but also break another record held by Sebastian Vettel.
Verstappen has Vettel record up for grabs
The Dutchman already broke two records held by the former Red Bull driver this season. Namely, Verstappen took 10 wins in a row, beating Vettel's nine consecutive victories. Last Grand Prix weekend, Verstappen broke another record held by the German. The Red Bull driver now holds the record in terms of the biggest-ever World Cup lead, with 177 points.
That record can obviously be extended this weekend, but Verstappen can also pass Vettel in another way. Indeed, the four-time world champion holds the record for most laps in the lead in a season with 739. Verstappen has led 712 laps in 2023 after the Japanese Grand Prix and can therefore pass the German on Sunday. To do so, the Dutchman needs to lead 28 of the 57 Grand Prix.
With the expanded calendar, it is obviously easier to lead more laps, but the Dutchman is also the best in terms of percentage. Indeed, Vettel led in over 65 per cent of all laps in 2011 and Verstappen now sits on a 74 per cent percentage. The Dutchman could even break the magic barrier of 1,000 laps in the lead this season.
Red Bull can match itself
Red Bull Racing could go on to equal its own record in Qatar. The Austrian constructor has scored points in the past 37 Grands Prix and that record stands at 38 (between the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix and 2018 Australian Grand Prix). Now, Red Bull has scored points in every Grand Prix since the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in 2022, bringing the tally to 37 consecutive races. In Qatar, this tally could reach 38 races, which would equal its own record.