Max Verstappen surpasses Sebastian Vettel’s win record at Monza, admits he ‘never believed’ he could pull it off

Max Verstappen has won 12 races this season, with ten of those in a succession.

Max Verstappen surpasses Sebastian Vettel’s win record at Monza, admits he ‘never believed’ he could pull it off

Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel (Credits: IMAGO)

Max Verstappen‘s unrelenting dominance this season has once again propelled him to victory, this time-shattering Sebastian Vettel‘s decade-long record of nine consecutive wins. Verstappen has set a new benchmark with an astonishing ten wins in a row, and he achieved this feat in his signature style. Max Verstappen defied the Monza curse, clinching victory at the Italian GP for the second consecutive year and keeping Red Bull‘s winning streak alive.

In 2013, Sebastian Vettel established the record for nine consecutive wins while driving for Red Bull, triumphing in every race after the summer break. Verstappen’s record-breaking accomplishment has come with seven races in the season, marking his 12th win of the year. Reflecting on this achievement during the post-race interview hosted by 2016 champion Nico Rosberg, Verstappen humbly remarked, “I mean I never would have believed [10 wins] was possible but we had to work for it today, so that made it a lot more fun.”

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Max qualified in second place, with Carlos Sainz starting on pole. He engaged in a fierce battle with the Spaniards to secure the lead. However, Monza’s low downforce circuit neutralized the RB19’s DRS advantage. This played into the hands of the Ferraris, which boasted superior top speed, especially on the straights. Verstappen acknowledged this challenge, stating, “We had good pace and good on the tyres, but they [Ferrari] had strong top speed”

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Sainz maintained his lead, fending off the Dutchman for 15 laps until a critical mistake in turn one, where he locked up his tires, compromising his exit into turn two. Verstappen seized the opportunity, swiftly overtaking the Ferrari to claim the lead. Max emphasized that he had to apply pressure on Sainz to force the error, as getting close was a formidable task.

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Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz post Italian GP
Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz post Italian GP (Credits: Planet F1)

Initially, as Verstappen grappled to pass Sainz, it appeared that Red Bull might need to employ unconventional tactics to gain the lead. When Rosberg inquired whether Max ever doubted the victory, he responded without overconfidence, “I tried to stay patient, it’s a long race, and I could see they were struggling with the tyres and I just had to pick my moment.”

While Max and Red Bull have grown accustomed to winning races with margins exceeding 20 seconds, this race saw their nearest rivals finish just eight seconds behind. However, Max attributed this to a late issue with his car, necessitating a cautious approach to bring it home safely.

With this win, the number one driver has extended his lead over his teammate and closest rival, Sergio Perez, by 145 points. He could potentially secure his third title in just three more races. Furthermore, Red Bull is on the cusp of securing the constructor’s championship, making it increasingly likely that Red Bull will achieve a clean sweep of all the season’s races.

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