Red Bull has won 31 out of the last 33 races in Formula 1. And 28 of those wins have come at the hands of Max Verstappen.
Just let that sink in for a moment. Red Bull and Max have redefined what it even means to dominate in a sport like Formula 1.
And we may be in for even more of the same in 2024 with Verstappen looking ominous to take home his 4th consecutive championship.
So I can understand why some people might have found F1 to be a bit boring lately. However, former Ferrari boss, Peter Windsor, believes that we should celebrate Verstappen’s dominance rather than find ways to call it out.
Max Verstappen himself isn’t buying into the idea that his and Red Bull‘s dominance in the championship is boring for fans.
He dismissed the critics, who labeled their success as uninteresting, emphasizing that he and his team are performing at an exceptional level that should be celebrated.
“If people can’t appreciate that, then you are not a real fan,” said the Dutchman when asked about the ‘boring’ remarks.
When Windsor dismissed the idea of Max Verstappen’s dominance being boring, he drew parallels with the era of Tiger Woods‘ domination between 1999 to 2009. During this period, Woods achieved an average of 5.8 wins per season, claiming the Player of the Year award 9 times.
His dominance extended to major championships, where he won an astounding 13 out of 35 tournaments from late 1999 to mid-2008, while no other golfer managed to win more than three.
Additionally, Woods showcased his exceptional consistency by winning 5 or more consecutive tournaments on three separate occasions, a feat not achieved since Ben Hogan in 1953.
It’s remarkably similar to how Max Verstappen broke the record of the highest win percentage in a season set by Alberto Ascari in 1952.
Windsor’s argument is simple; if golf fans considered Wood’s era to be a golden period, why are we labeling Verstappen’s era as ‘boring’?
In a recent appearance on the Cameron F1 podcast, it was suggested to Windsor that F1 will lose its popularity if Max continues winning.
“I don’t agree with that,” he responded. “I think Liberty [Media] have the ability to make Max… If Max dominates over the next two years I think Liberty have the ability to make that something that is golden to Formula 1 in the same way that Tiger Woods’s dominance was golden to Golf.
And I think Liberty will capitalize on that rather than see it as a burden. And so far the evidence suggests that that is the case because he’s been dominating for the last three years and Formula 1 isn’t exactly going downhill.“
Amidst all the talks about Formula 1 being boring, Zak Brown has brought up concerns over the partnership between Red Bull and its sister team RB.
Verstappen discards Zak Brown’s concerns over unfair advantage
McLaren CEO Zak Brown has recently been quite vocal about the partnership between Red Bull and Visa Cash App RB (formerly AlphaTauri).
He has raised concerns about the perceived unfair advantage Red Bull gains from this association, demanding for regulatory changes in Formula 1. However, Verstappen outright dismissed the idea of his team gaining any advantage from its sister team.
“That is a constant tactic in F1, one that is always used. That does not only apply to this story, but that is always the case and is typical for F1.
That is one hundred percent typical F1,” Verstappen told Motorsport. He explained that teams often collaborate and share resources, including parts, to ease financial strains, especially with the introduction of a strict cost cap.
Do you think Max Verstappen will run away with the title in 2024? Who else do you see winning this season? Drop your predictions in the comments down below.