Max Verstappen aiming to make history as first-ever F1 star to win title BEFORE Grand Prix even starts
MAX VERSTAPPEN could do an F1 first this weekend in the Qatar Grand Prix – by winning the title on a Saturday.
While the previous championships have all been decided on Sunday’s race day, the Red Bull ace has the possibility of wrapping up his third consecutive title at the sprint race.
Verstappen has won 13 of the 15 races in 2023 and is 177 points clear of his teammate Sergio Perez, who is second in the championship.
It means he will be crowned champion on Saturday if he finishes sixth, for three points, even if Perez wins the 30-minute race.
But does it matter if he wins it on Saturday or not? It has some people divided.
Given his performances at the start of the season – or to be precise his rivals’ failure to match his own results – it quickly became inevitable that he would win the title.
We also knew it was a possibility that it would be done so on a Saturday sprint race, given the structure of the calendar, with sprint races loaded towards the end of the season in an attempt to prolong any potential title fight.
We have three of the six sprint races remaining in Qatar, Austin and Brazil with all three coming in the space of four races, only Mexico is a usual F1 weekend.
The whole concept of the shorter sprint races is to sell extra tickets for the Saturday, plus also secure more TV viewers.
Knowing that he could win the title on Saturday should lead to an increase in both of those numbers, although quite how many will attend in Doha this week remains to be seen.
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However, I wonder how it fits with F1’s traditional fans, now knowing that the title could be won not during an actual grands prix.
I appreciate this could be a moot point, but it does matter to some given the historical element. Almost like winning a Test match victory in a T20 match.
Furthermore, it opens up the debate as to why the races in Azerbaijan, Austria, Belgium, Qatar, Austin and Sao Paulo are worth more than say Silverstone or Monza, for example.
I respect F1’s decision to introduce the sprint races and understand their rationale for doing so.
But the prospect of a driver being crowned champion after a 30-minute procession around a car park in the desert, leaves me feeling rather cold.
TOTO WOLFF is likely to be in Qatar after skipping the Japanese GP after undergoing knee surgery.
The Mercedes boss skipped the race in Suzuka partly due to the operation – and because he struggles with jet lag, but should be back in the garage in Doha.
It comes as he faces mounting pressure to turn his team’s fortunes around after Lewis Hamilton claimed in Japan the car was just like last year’s to drive.
RENAULT group chief executive Luca de Meo visited the Alpine team’s factory in Enstone last week to deliver a rallying call after months of upheaval at the team.
De Meo delivered a rousing speech to the factory, including drivers Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly while staff after the team’s engine division in Viry-Châtillon in France, joined by video link.
De Meo is hoping to restore some much-needed faith in the team after former Alpine F1 CEO Laurent Rosso was moved on along with team principal Otmar Szafnauer and sporting director Alan Permane.
Alpine are adrift in sixth place in the constructors’ championship, 88 points behind McLaren.
MOTO GP are reporting a healthy increase in numbers of fans in the grandstands and watching the sport on TV. The sport’s bosses say TV figures are up 20 percent on 2022.
What is more impressive is their sprint races have seen attendances on Saturdays increase by a whopping 51 percent in the opening 12 races.
CAL CRUTCHLOW picked up TWO long-lap penalties in two days at the Japanese MotoGP.
The Brit was entering as a wild-card for Yamaha but looked rusty as he picked up the penalties for exceeding track limits and then turning into his pitbox too early and going the wrong way around the entry sign.
Crutchow, who was 13th, said: “I’ve done two races and two long laps, so that must be a first!”