Two World Titles: Will Max Verstappen Be the New Hegemonic F1 Champion?

At just 25 years old, nine years driving in Formula 1 with the Red Bull team and the racing DNA of his father Jos, the current champion of the 'Big Tent', Max Verstappen, wants to mark an era. He intend to follow in the footsteps of great pilots who have been hegemonic at different times in history. Despite the fact that the 2022 season is not yet over and there are four grand prix in dispute, the Hasselt-born native dominated the championship from end to end and secured his second title early.

Since its inception in 1950, Formula 1 has always had great drivers who have dominated the championships over the years. The first reference was the Argentine five-time champion Juan Manuel Fangio , one of the best in history, his record of titles was maintained for more than 50 years until his mark was surpassed by the German Michael Schumacher, who, together with the British Lewis Hamilton, they are the most winners in the highest category of motorsport with seven titles each.

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The main challenge facing Max Verstappen to mark an era in Formula One is precisely the legendary Hamilton. The Mercedes team driver wants to get his eighth championship and thus stop sharing first place with Schumacher. The coming seasons will be decisive, but both have been great rivals and their careers have been characterized by being very close and have been defined by small details.

Other adversaries that are appearing along the way cannot be ruled out either. Such is the case of the Monégasque Charles Leclerc, current Ferrari driver, who is fighting for second place in the season. Likewise, there is the British George Rusell of Mercedes, who despite his youth has been achieving great performances this season, or the Spanish Carlos Sainz JR, also a Ferrari driver who, like Max Verstappen, is the son of a great driver.

Another challenge in the future could be the relationship with his team. Despite the fact that he has a current contract with Red Bull for six more seasons, many experts consider that spending more than nine years with the same team (at the end of his contract it would be fifteen), could lead to a change in the medium term if the contractual relationship is wears out. Something similar was experienced in the past with the German driver Sebastián Vettel, who at the height of his career left the Austrian team, migrating to Ferrari in 2014.

However, although there may be negative factors with the future relationship with his team, Red Bull has been very dominant this season. It has been close to securing the fifth constructors' title in its history, the characteristics of its single-seaters have been the top speed and the reliability of its engines, which has also allowed them to partially achieve second position in the drivers' world championship thanks to the good performance by Mexican Sergio 'Checo' Pérez.

Despite his magnificent level, the native of the Netherlands does not rule out prematurely ending his career in the highest category of world motorsports. In recent days, he declared in The Sun newspaper that" I don't see myself driving until I'm 40 because I also want to do other things. I'm having a lot of fun right now, and I'll continue in Formula 1 for a few more years… I have a contract until 2028 ".

Only time will tell us what the future of Max Verstappen will be and the titles he can win. The Dutchman has all the talent and youth to sit at the table of the great drivers in history, but in motorsport many factors are at stake that cannot be controlled and reaching the Olympus of Formula 1 is the privilege of a few.