In 2022, Dutch driver Max Verstappen took home the title of World Champion with four races to spare. With 15 race wins throughout the season, it’s clear that Verstappen had an impressive year. Christian Horner has praised Verstappen for taking “another step” as a driver and for delivering under pressure. Let’s take a look back on how Verstappen achieved this impressive feat.
The 2022 season saw Max Verstappen start off strong with wins at both Imola and Miami in the double header weekend. In Imola, he earned his first pole position of the season, followed by a win in race one and then a second place finish in the second race. His win at Miami was memorable too; although he finished behind Charles Leclerc on track, he was awarded victory after Leclerc was penalized for an unsafe release during a pit stop. It was a stunning demonstration of raw driving talent from both drivers that has become even more impressive when you consider their ages (Max is only 25!).
Verstappen’s Competition
Verstappen faced tough competition from his Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton in 2021, but he was able to hold off Hamilton until the last race and won the championship in dramatic fashion. In 2022, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was his closest contender, but Leclerc’s challenge faded as the season progressed and Verstappen ultimately finished comfortably clear of his opponent.
Red Bull Overcoming Early Reliability Issues
The Red Bull RB18 package faced several early reliability issues, which threatened to disrupt their bid for championship glory. However, with strong technical teams behind them, Red Bull managed to overcome these issues and steadily added performance to the car. This improved performance contributed significantly towards Verstappen’s success; by improving the car’s handling and durability, Verstappen was able to push himself harder on track – leading him to rack up multiple wins across the 22-race season.
Verstappen Taking Another Step as Driver
Not only did Red Bull have strong technical teams behind them – they also had a great leader in Max Verstappen. Christian Horner praised him for taking “another step” as a driver in 2022 because of his ability to deliver under pressure – something which is essential when trying to win a world title. As Horner succinctly put it, “the more pressure there was [in] 2022, the more he delivered.” The focus on quality over quantity helped him become a threat on track and allowed him to take home another world championship title at just 24 years old.
This season saw Verstappen dominate most races, often leading from pole to checkered flag and finishing ahead of his teammate Sergio Perez every single time. He won five out of twenty three races this season and finished within the top three thirteen times in total – an incredible feat! His consistency across each race weekend made him unstoppable, especially once he had taken the lead at any given track. Even when Perez put up some stiff competition early on in Austria or Britain, it wasn’t enough to keep Verstappen from winning both titles back-to-back. The skillful driving displayed by both drivers proved why they are so highly regarded and respected amongst their peers.
Max Verstappen has firmly established himself as one of F1’s most dominant drivers with another successful year under his belt. His record number of race victories and second successive world title victory speaks volumes about his ability on track – but even more so about his character off track; he has been able to push himself even further under immense pressure and wrapped up another world title before any other drivers could catch up. For anyone looking for an example of someone delivering under pressure – Max Verstappen is certainly your man!