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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Jake Boxall-Legge Autosport’s Technical Editor. Having studied Automotive Engineering with Motorsport at the University of Hertfordshire, West Country-born Jake's original ambition was to design racing cars. During a year between studies in which he accidentally rekindled a love of writing, he took up a Master's in Motorsport Engineering at Oxford Brookes. Halfway through his master's year, he was offered a place on the Autosport Academy, conducting occasional freelance duties before becoming the press officer for Formula 2 and GP3 in 2018. Autosport offered him a return to the fold later that year to serve as its Technical Editor. His voice appears on a number of videos and podcasts, and can often be found writing about terrible Formula 1 cars in excruciating detail. In his spare time, Jake enjoys baking and blames his failure to make it past the Great British Bake-Off interviews on his tenuous grasp on choux pastry. His dream is to open a brunch cafe - and his willingness to make outrageous puns in inappropriate situations has earned him the contempt of his colleagues.
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