Liberty Media associated senior research analyst labels Max Verstappen as  ‘the biggest risk’ to F1’s growth

Liberty Media analyst suggests Verstappen's dominance poses a threat to F1's growth..

Liberty Media associated senior research analyst labels Max Verstappen as  ‘the biggest risk’ to F1’s growth

Max Verstappen (via IMAGO)

Max Verstappen has had the most dominant season of all time in Formula One in 2023. Verstappen beat Alberto Ascari’s record for the highest win percentage in a season. Earlier this year, Max beat Sebastian Vettel’s record of 9 wins in a row with his 10. Verstappen now looks set to beat two more. Michael Schumacher’s superb record of most races in the lead of the championship at 37 races, and Vettel’s record of largest gap between first and second in the championship. 

With such a supremely insurmountable performance comes the factor of excessive predictability. Max Verstappen has won 17 out of the 20 races so far this season, and that has come at the cost of competition for the winner’s trophy. This sentiment is shared by Barton Crockett, an analyst at Rosenblatt Securities, which covers Liberty Media. Crockett sees Verstappen’s dominance as a danger to Formula One. 

As great as Verstappen is, right now he looks like the biggest risk to the business.
Barton Crockett said, as reported by planetf1.com

Max Verstappen remained unshaken by the effect of his unbeatable performance on the sport. The Dutchman said that true fans of the pinnacle of motorsport should encourage, rather than dissuade a team such as Red Bull operating at the top of its capacity. The 3x World Champion compared Red Bull’s winning era to the Chicago Bulls’ dominance in basketball, saying the NBA survived through their winning days, and so should F1.

FS Video

Max Verstappen confesses struggles with virtual Las Vegas circuit

The Las Vegas Grand Prix has arrived in Formula One for the first ever time, last taking place in 1986 in a completely different circuit. The title-deciding race, won by Alan Jones and handing the title to Nelson Piquet Sr, was never held again until 2023. The brand-new circuit has not been raced on, which means every athlete on the F1 grid will drive on it for the very first time.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen (via Sky Sports F1)

Max Verstappen has won every race except three so far this season, and only once finished outside the top two. In his record-breaking year, the only race Verstappen faced very major issues in was Singapore, which saw him finish just 5th. For the Las Vegas circuit, the Red Bull driver said that he often found the walls in the virtual F1 23 game version of the circuit. Verstappen said that he hasn’t driven in the simulator yet, which is the closest possible imitation of being on the track driving the actual car. 

I still need to go on the simulator. I still don't even know the track, to be honest. The last time I tried it on the F1 game, I think I hit more walls than I was going straight. So, let's hope that's not the case when I start driving there!
Max Verstappen said, as reported by skysports.com

The forecast for the Grand Prix shows extremely cool temperatures, which could result in some interesting tire strategies for the race. Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton have proven that Verstappen isn’t as dominant as he was at the beginning of 2023. Both the Britons have finished second behind Verstappen multiple times this year, with Lando looking for his first win and Hamilton trying to achieve his 104th.

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