With his victory in Suzuka, Max Verstappen further cements his place in Formula 1 history. The numbers are all on his side
There are no more adjectives left to describe Max Verstappen’s performance at the Japanese Grand Prix. A superlative weekend, ended in the best possible way. The Dutch driver led a masterful race, always maintaining control and winning ahead of the McLarens of Norris and Piastri, never once giving the impression of being under pressure. And with the victory at Suzuka, Verstappen enters more and more into the history of this sport.
Verstappen’s numbers after Suzuka
Fourth consecutive pole position and victory at Suzuka. The Japanese circuit continues to prove itself as one of Max Verstappen’s favorite tracks, second only to the Red Bull Ring in Austria and the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico, where the Dutch driver has claimed five wins. Once again, Verstappen maximized the result—starting from pole and leading the race without ever coming under pressure, even when the McLarens tried to challenge him. His ability to make the most of every opportunity, leaving only crumbs for his rivals, clearly sets him apart from the rest of the grid.
Autosport reports some interesting statistics regarding Verstappen’s win conversion rate. Considering all drivers with more than one career win, the Red Bull star holds the highest pole-to-win conversion rate in Formula 1 history (80.49%). Completing the podium are Fernando Alonso with 63.64% and Lewis Hamilton with 58.65%.
The victory at Suzuka allowed Verstappen to reach another important milestone: ten consecutive seasons with at least one win. Since his debut with Red Bull in 2016, the Dutch driver has never finished a season without claiming at least one victory.
According to the rankings compiled by statsf1.com, with this result, Verstappen has surpassed Ayrton Senna, who had achieved nine consecutive seasons (from 1985 to 1993). Verstappen now sits in fourth place in this special ranking, tied with Alain Prost, who also had ten consecutive seasons (from 1981 to 1990).
Only time will tell if he will be able to equal the all-time record of 15 consecutive seasons with at least one win, held by Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher. What is certain, however, is that Verstappen is increasingly cementing his place in the pantheon of Formula 1 greats—and the victory at Suzuka is yet another, unmistakable confirmation of that.
Photo: Max Verstappen, Oracle Red Bull Racing
