MAX Verstappen joined a select group of greats with his fourth Formula One title in Las Vegas on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) but the Red Bull driver faces an even bigger, and more thrilling, battle to stretch the run to five in a row next year.
Just six drivers have been quadruple champions and only Michael Schumacher managed five in succession with Ferrari from 2000 to 2004.
Only two of them—Verstappen and Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel from 2010-2013— have won their first four consecutively.
Verstappen has led the standings since May 2022, this month smashing Schumacher’s record of 896 days on top, and he will stay there until at least March 16 when the 2025 season starts in Australia.
That campaign will be eagerly awaited with former champions McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes already scrapping for wins on a regular basis and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton soon to switch from Mercedes to Ferrari.
The four top teams have all enjoyed one-two wins this season, an extraordinary situation, and all seven winning drivers have triumphed at least twice.
