By Joiner Martínez
07 Oct 2023, 15:46 PM EDT
Dutch Red Bull driver Max Verstappen finished second in the Qatar Sprint race and secured his third consecutive Formula 1 crown.
With the conquest, Verstappen equaled his father-in-law, the Brazilian Nelson Piquet (1981, 1983 and 1987) with three world titles in the highest category of motorsport.
Shortly after getting out of the car at the Lusail circuit, home of the Qatar Grand Prix, the seventeenth of the year, he said that he is “very proud and happy”, that he appreciates all the work the team has done and that he hopes “to maintain this triumphant streak.”
“I am very proud and happy, and very grateful to everyone on the team, for the sensational work done by the team. The sprint was exciting, a shame that so many safety cars came out,” Verstappen commented.
“Now I want to enjoy this moment. Hopefully we can maintain this winning streak for a long time,” said ‘Mad Max’ this Saturday at the Lusail circuit.
Verstappen’s anticipated conquest does not surprise anyone. Jos’s son overwhelmed everyone in 2023, so much so that he reached the 18th round (race 17 after the cancellation of the Emilia-Romagna GP) with only one driver with a mathematical chance (and none from practice) of stopping his conquest: Checo Pérez, his Red Bull teammate.
The difference that Max achieved with his RB19 was abysmal with the remaining 19 drivers, including the Mexican. The three-time champion’s numbers are eloquent: 13 wins in 16 races contested, with the historical record of ten in a row.
Checo Pérez out of the Sprint race
The Mexican Checo Pérez experienced a black Saturday when he was left out of the Sprint race of the Qatar Grand Prix after suffering a crash from Esteban Ocon, which caused the Red Bull driver to be left on the gravel and with damage to the RB19.
Checo had a bad start by starting slow and losing the game first against Esteban Ocon and later against Nico Hülkenberg, so he dropped two places in the first lap when he fell to tenth position.
After the tenth lap Checo began to breathe on Hülkenberg, but the fight had an unexpected guest, Esteban Ocon, who ended up affecting both drivers. The Frenchman fought for position and in the maneuver he touched the German’s front tire, which caused him to spin and take the Mexican on his way.
Pérez got out of his car and observed the damage to the spoiler of his car and the side of his car.
The Mexican’s frustration was obvious, as not only was he unable to score on Saturday, but he also gave Verstappen the Formula 1 world championship and with it the three-time championship for the Dutchman.
Keep reading:
Mexican Sergio “Checo” Pérez recognized the work of Max Verstappen at Red Bull: “He is driving at a level that I had not seen”
Andretti Global received FIA approval to enter F1: “We are incredibly excited by the opportunity”
A young promise from Formula 1 would be the perfect replacement for Mexican Sergio “Checo” Pérez at Red Bull, according to Eddie Jordan