P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Max Verstappen rewrote most of the Formula 1 record book in 2023 with 19 wins, 575 points and over 1,000 racing laps led in the single most-dominant campaign in World Championship history.
“The RB19 machine guided Verstappen to several records that may stand the test of time, but will he be able to replicate his extraordinary season in the upcoming year? Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren will be his closest rivals, but will they be able to prevent him from climbing further up the records list? Verstappen currently holds 32 pole positions, and with 24 races planned for the next season, he could potentially achieve 56 poles by the end of it, although that would still be just over half the current record. Hamilton is the one to watch when it comes to fastest laps, as he is just 12 behind the record held by Schumacher. Verstappen will join the Centurion Club with 100 podium visits if he achieves two more podium finishes. In terms of laps led, Verstappen is in fifth place with 1,003 laps led in 2023, and he is chasing Vettel and Senna’s totals. Since the adoption of ground effects in 2022, Verstappen has won 34 out of 44 races, surpassing Alonso’s total wins. He now stands in third place on the all-time wins list, with only Hamilton and Schumacher ahead of him. Together, Hamilton, Schumacher, and Verstappen have won 248 out of 590 World Championship Grand Prix races, giving them a hit-rate of 42.03%.”
