‘As an individual driver, probably yes’: Christian Horner thinks Max Verstappen’s 2022 campaign the most dominant ever

‘As an individual driver, probably yes’: Christian Horner thinks Max Verstappen’s 2022 campaign the most dominant ever

Max Verstappen and Christian Horner (IMAGO / HochZwei)

Max Verstappen broke the all-time record of wins in a season last race in Mexico – He now stands alone with 14 wins in a season, having broken the previous all-time record of Michael Schumacher (2004) and Sebastian Vettel (2014) with 13 wins each. While the car itself hasn’t always been dominant, the team – and especially Verstappen have been the dominant force in F1 in 2022.

By the number of wins itself, this is the most dominant campaign by a driver ever, and Christian Horner thinks that this indeed is the most dominant individual campaign of all time: “There’s been years of domination with Mercedes, but I think as an individual driver, probably yes. He’s won the most Grands Prix in a year now, within 22 races.” he said, as per Autosport.

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While the team have been dominant in the races, qualifying is another story, and the pole position trophy will be going to Charles Leclerc, who as of now, has 9 pole positions (with two races left), while Verstappen has 6. Horner remarked on this: “On top of that, he’s won two sprint races, and he’s not won all of them from pole position. He’s had to fight and race for a lot of those victories.”

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The Briton thinks his driver has been ‘perfect’ and has not put a ‘wheel wrong’: “I think when we look back at the end of the year, it is an absolutely outstanding year that Max has driven. He hasn’t put a wheel wrong. He’s been perfect throughout the season. It’s incredible, the level of consistency that he’s been able to achieve.”

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Christian Horner: Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel are ‘very different’ drivers

Christian Horner with Sebastian Vettel (L) Christian Horner with Max Verstappen (R)
Christian Horner with Sebastian Vettel (L) Christian Horner with Max Verstappen (R)

Only two drivers have ever won a world championship for Red Bull – Sebastian Vettel, who won 4 from 2010 to 2013, and Max Verstappen, who’s now won 2 in two consecutive years. Comparing the two, Horner said: “They are two very different drivers, two phenomenally successful drivers. I think that what Sebastian has achieved in his career puts him amongst the greats and the most successful drivers in the sport.”

The Briton also added: “But I think Max, what we’re seeing today and this year, we’re actually witnessing something very special. I actually think his achievements sometimes don’t receive the plaudits that they should, because I think actually, what we’ve witnessed this year, is an absolutely outstanding performance from a driver that is very much at the top of his game.”

Max Verstappen is still only 25, and has already won 34 races and 2 world championships. It remains to be seen if he will start another era of domination like Vettel did, or if he and Red Bull will be stopped. It is also possible that Red Bull’s reduced wind tunnel time penalty may bite them, and compromise their 2023 campaign – which spells good things for Ferrari and Mercedes, if they can overcome their own issues.

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