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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, celebrates with his team after securing the 2023 drivers world championship
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Formula 1 United States GP
Opinion

Why Verstappen won't emulate past F1 champions who let up once the title was over

OPINION: As he did in 2022, Max Verstappen enters this weekend's US Grand Prix as a newly-crowned world champion. But any of his Formula 1 rivals hoping that the Dutchman will enter into cruise-and-collect mode for the remainder of his dominant 2023 campaign are set to be disappointed

The grand prix at Qatar concluded what we'd all known had been a long time coming, as Max Verstappen produced the final stitch to sew up his third Formula 1 championship crown with six (full) races to spare. Although the remaining quintet of grands prix post-Qatar are hardly dead rubbers, as there's championship positions and prize money among the other constructors to settle, driver interest is limited beyond who finishes as runner-up.

Does anyone actually care if Sergio Perez or Lewis Hamilton finishes in second, given their presence in the title race range from mere cameos to non-existence? Maybe Perez and Red Bull do, if only to stat-pad an already impressive season brimming with crowning achievements.

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