LONDON: Max Verstappen will be 25 when he clinches his second Formula One world title, but whether it will be days or weeks after his birthday in Singapore at the end of September remains to be seen.
The Red Bull driver is so dominant that without wanting to tempt fate in a sport fraught with danger, it’s surely just a matter of when and where, not if.
There could be an opportunity to wrap things up in Singapore on October 2, although Japan looks more likely seven days later depending on what happens at next Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix in Monza.
Verstappen’s home Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort on Sunday (September 4) gave him his 10th win in 15 races, leaving him 109 points clear at the top of the standings with seven laps to go.
He will turn 25 on September 30 when he will be busy with Friday practice for Singapore and he needs to be 138 points clear by the end of that race to make it more than a birthday celebration.
It’s a big question, but closest rivals Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez have so far failed to score in three races each.
On Sunday, Verstappen scored 11 points more than Leclerc and 16 more than Perez.
Super-fast Monza should bode well for Red Bull, who clinched a one-two in Belgium, while Singapore could bring Mercedes into play.
Third place at Zandvoort was Leclerc’s best result since his win in Austria in July, while Perez has now left the podium in four of the last five races – and when the Mexican is Verstappen’s closest rival there is no doubt.
TEN VICTORIES
The Dutch rider has already matched his 10 wins from 2021, a year in which he clinched his first title in controversial circumstances at the last race, and is now on course to smash a record 13 in a season.
Such a milestone comes with a caveat, as Michael Schumacher (2004) and Sebastian Vettel (2013) have each won 13 from the current 22 in seasons of 18 and 19 races respectively.
Verstappen would probably shrug anyway.
“I don’t think he cares. He just doesn’t see things like that,” said team boss Christian Horner when asked about the record.
“He goes into every race and wants to win it, that’s what drives him, that’s his competitiveness.
“He’s not a big guy for stats and records, although he did enjoy wearing his father’s (colors) crash helmet this weekend, which was the only Grand Prix Jos’ helmet won.”
By the looks of it, Verstappen could holiday until the end of October’s Mexican Grand Prix – skipping Italy, Singapore, Japan and the United States – and still lead.
Brazil, the penultimate round after Mexico, is a sprint race with eight extra points on Saturday.
Nobody expects the championship to remain open until then.