Max Verstappen became only the fifth driver in Formula 1 history to win 50 grands prix last weekend, but he acknowledged he still has a long way to go to reach the record-holder.
“It’s a great number,” said Verstappen after the United States Grand Prix, sitting next to Lewis Hamilton, whose 103 wins remains the benchmark.“Still rookie numbers compared to Lewis,” he continued. “But for sure it’s a great number. I’m very happy with it, very proud of it, but let’s try to win a few more.”
No doubt he will. Indeed, with four rounds left this year, he could overtake Alain Prost’s 51 and Sebastian Vettel’s 53 victories to become F1’s third most-successful of all time before the season is over. Beyond them lie only Hamilton and 91-times grand prix winner Michael Schumacher.
Verstappen’s win last Sunday came from sixth on the grid and was the sixth time he has taken a victory after starting outside the top five. Schumacher managed that five times during his career, Hamilton and Prost did it four times, but Vettel’s six wins from third on the grid were the only wins he took from outside the front row.
McLaren’s Lando Norris inherited second place. He had already taken his 12th career podium, leaving him one away from matching Nick Heidfeld for the record of most grand prix podiums without a win. He is the first McLaren driver to score four podiums in a row since Jenson Button at the start of 2012.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jnr moved up to third place. This was the third time he has taken home a trophy without actually standing on the podium in F1. He did the same in the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix when Hamilton was penalised and at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix when Vettel was disqualified.
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Sainz’s team mate Charles Leclerc had less luck, taking pole for the 21st time in his F1 career and then failing to covert it into a victory for the 17th time. Like Hamilton, he was disqualified and therefore it was the first F1 race to feature two disqualifications since the 2019 Japanese Grand Prix. It was also the first time the pole-winner has been disqualified from a race since Ralf Schumacher at the 2004 Canadian Grand Prix, whose Williams brake ducts infringed the rules.
Juan Manuel Fangio turned nine of his first 21 poles into wins, but did not make the podium in the other 12 instances. Fernando Alonso had an especially impressive record from his first 21 pole positions, taking 13 wins and 20 podium finishes in total.
Alonso retired from last weekend’s grand prix and saw his run as the only driver this year to reach Q3 at every round come to an end. His Aston Martin team mate Lance Stroll finished seventh, his best result since finishing fourth in the sprint race at the Austrian Grand Prix, and best Sunday result since his sixth place at the Spanish Grand Prix in June. His previous best finish in North America since he finished fifth in the Daytona 24 Hours race for sportscars back in 2016, before he had made it to F1.
The home fans at Circuit of the Americas had something to cheer about post-race as the disqualifications lifted Williams’ Logan Sargeant up to tenth place and the rookie scored his first point. He is the first American to score in F1 since Michael Andretti in 1993, and the first to do so on home soil since Eddie Cheever finished third in the 1988 United States Grand Prix.
However the last American driver to finish in the top 10 at a grand prix was Scott Speed. He never scored a point in F1, but had the current scoring system been used during his career, he would have picked up six points by virtue of pairs of ninth and 10th-place finishes for Toro Rosso during the 2006 and 2007 seasons.
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COTA has now held 11 grands prix, the same as Adelaide and Reims, but 12 F1 races courtesy of last Saturday’s sprint race. Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the previous venue for the United States Grand Prix, held eight grands prix but 19 world championship races, and Watkins Glen was on the F1 calendar for 20 seasons as the longest-serving venue for the grand prix.
Have you spotted any other interesting stats and facts from the United States Grand Prix? Share them in the comments.
2023 United States Grand Prix
- US GP was Mercedes’ best race of 2023 despite disqualification – Wolff
- Singapore and Austin retirements cost me top 10 championship place – Ocon
- United States Grand Prix result unchanged as FIA rejects Haas’ call for review
- Sargeant admits he’s ‘struggled to use all the downforce at times’ in F1
- Mercedes’ Brazilian GP set-up was “conservative” after US GP disqualification
Jere (@jerejj)
26th October 2023, 7:45
Max Verstappen’s fifth consecutive victory in the US.
The second COTA US GP with post-race DSQs, with the 2018 race featuring the same outcome for Esteban Ocon & Kevin Magnussen over fuel-related infringements.
Esteban Ocon’s fourth retirement in the last nine races.
Yuki Tsunoda possibly also became the first-ever Japanese driver to get the FLAP honor.
The third entirely neutralization (SC, VSC, red) & yellow-free 2023 race, following the Miami & Spanish GPs, & second where all retirements happened into the pit lane.
The first race with more than two drivers starting from the pit exit since the 2019 Azerbaijan GP & possibly the first ever with four & or both drivers from any given team.
Derek Edwards
26th October 2023, 9:00
For Japanese fastest laps Satoru Nakajima scored fastest lap in Adelaide 1989 and Masehiro Hasemi briefly but unofficially did the same in Fuji 1976.
Jere (@jerejj)
26th October 2023, 10:01
No wonder I couldn’t recall anyone else since those occasions are from the very distant past, long before my time, although I could’ve done that research beforehand.
Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
26th October 2023, 10:24
So Yuki’s the first Japanese fastest lapper in a race when it wasn’t chucking it down…
Jack Jeffreys (@jack1501)
26th October 2023, 11:17
Kobayashi scored fastest lap for Sauber at the 2012 Chinese GP
Red Andy (@red-andy)
26th October 2023, 7:48
Thanks to the sprint race, Hamilton and Leclerc become the first drivers to take points away from an F1 weekend despite being disqualified from the race.
Dex
26th October 2023, 8:46
What was the first race someone had won after having scrambled eggs for breakfast both on qualy and race day? How many races have been won by drivers wearing white vs black underwear? Who’s more successful, drivers born on Saturday or Sunday?
Cronies
26th October 2023, 9:55
How many races has Max won, when Charles got pole?
Initially
26th October 2023, 11:17
More than Leclerc himself has.
Jimmy Cliff
26th October 2023, 15:50
Leclerc had 21 poles and below are the winners of those races
Max: 9
Perez: 4
Leclerc: 4
Lewis: 3
Vettel: 1
Leclerc did steal 1 win back from Max in Austria 2022 when Max started on pole but finished 2nd behind Leclerc.
Similarly Max stole 5 wins from Lewis pole position while Lewis stole 3 wins from Max pole position.
See below list of drivers showing their Wins no pole (WnP) versus Poles no Win (PnW) in the order from most positive to most negative balance (WnP/PnW). Behind I add there Wins from Pole (WfP)
Max 25 vs 5 + 25
Alonso 18 vs 8 + 14
Prost 33 vs 15 + 18
Steward 19 vs 9 + 8
Schumacher 51 vs 28 + 40
Lauda 16 vs 15 + 9
Lewis 42 vs 43 + 61
Piquet 18 vs 19 + 5
Mansell 14 vs 15 + 15
Vettel 22 vs 26 + 31
Fangio 9 vs 14 + 15
Hakinnen 10 vs 16 + 10
Clarck 10 vs 18 + 15
Rosberg 8 vs 15 + 17
Senna 12 vs 36 + 29
Rene 5 vs 18 + 2
Leclerc 1 vs 17 + 4
MichaelN
26th October 2023, 16:29
Wins in Grand Prix with Leclerc on pole:
Verstappen 9x (USA 2023, Belgium 2023, Italy 2022, France 2022, Azerbaijan 2022, Spain 2022, USA Miami 2022, Monaco 2021, Austria 2019)
Leclerc 4x (Australia 2022, Bahrain 2022, Italy 2019, Belgium 2019)
Pérez 4x (Azerbaijan 2023, Singapore 2022, Monaco 2022, Azerbaijan 2021)
Hamilton 3x (Mexico 2019, Russia 2019, Bahrain 2019)
Vettel 1x (Singapore 2019)
David
26th October 2023, 12:04
@Dax Schumacher was born on a Friday, Hamilton on a Monday, Fangio on a Saturday so the answer to the last question should be Saturday
Jimmy Cliff
26th October 2023, 8:52
Max record from his first 21 poles is 16 wins, 3 2nd places and 2 retirements – the next 9 poles all became wins.
Sainz has scored 1 win and 3 podiums from last 5 races while first 13 races his best finish was 4th (Bahrain).
Max improved on his own win records in last 24 months (33 wins), 36 months (41 wins), last 30 races (24 wins). He is still trailing Lewis and Schumacher in wins in last 100 races (45 wins), Lewis is at 55 and Schumacher is at 50.
With 4 races left Max already broke his own records of most points in a season with 466 vs 454 in 2023. He will be the first driver to have to pay (think Red Bull pays) more than $1 million for his F1 license.
Comparing points scored by drivers in 2023 vs 2022 after 18 races (3 more sprint races so +108 available):
* Top 3 up: Alonso +118, Max +100 and Norris +58 (actually Piastri +83 but excluded a not in F1 in 2022)
* Top 3 down: Leclerc -101, Russell -64 and Bottas -36 (Vettel and Riccardio -37 excluded as not (full) in F1 in 2023)
Comparing points scored by teams in 2023 vs 2022 after 18 races (3 more sprint races so +108 available):
* Top 3 up: Aston +191, McLaren +112 and Red Bull +87
* Top 3 down: Ferrari -132, Mercedes -43 and Alpine -43
Sonny Crockett (@sonnycrockett)
26th October 2023, 9:59
Max is off the chart good. Definitely the best driver on the grid right now, as Checo proves with his performances in the same car.
I’d be shocked if he doesn’t break every record in the book.
Christopher Rehn (@chrischrill)
26th October 2023, 10:19
Only two things could hold Verstappen back really. Red Bull or their engine manufacturer getting it wrong like they did in 2014, or Max deciding to retire before he gets there as he has implied historically. He’s still so young but ridiculously experienced with something like 180 races already.
Ludewig
26th October 2023, 10:28
Lewis has said that he might want to retire early many times in the past, but he kept signing new contracts, so I don’t take these kinds of statements that seriously.
melanos
27th October 2023, 23:25
At least not from someone who never in a lifetime spoke truthfully
Moi
26th October 2023, 10:21
He may not continue as long as Hamilton or Schumacher. And of course he may end up in non-competitive cars like Alonso.
Alberto
26th October 2023, 11:27
Sebastian Vettel was the next big thing after 4 years of domination. He only won a handful races after that. Some people here are not even old enough to remember how much people praised him as one of the greats at the time especially considering his performance compared to his teammate. Being dominant, winning races all your through out your career these are difficult things to achieve no matter how talented you are.
NoelyNoel (@noelynoel)
26th October 2023, 13:46
So, all Max has to do is not join Ferrari and he’s got a chance of beating Vettel =]
RR
26th October 2023, 15:25
I see Max as more focused and less vulnerable than Vettel. If he were to join Ferrari he would likely do better than Vettel and commit fewer howlers underreported pressure.
On top of what he’s already achieved, if Max did win a wdc at Ferrari he would rightly be acclaimed as the greatest of our era, and would be conqueror of the team that is super glamorous but difficult to succeed at.
Gimi
26th October 2023, 15:54
I think people forget that Vettel stayed at Red Bull in 2014, his 4 years of domination was ended by Mercedes new era of domination but Ricciardo was the better driver that year and got 3 wins to Vettel’s 0, his reputation was already dropping by then.
Even in Vettel days he always got that * of being the number one driver in the best car with a slow old team mate, which I guess it’s what’s Max is getting now but Perez has a lot of fans who think it’s sabotage instead of Perez just being slow.
Anyway I welcome Max to take the Ferrari challenge, I bet he could do far better than Leclerc and I kinda wish it happens if the Ford engine is trash and Max wants that italian paycheck.
Same for Hamilton in this year rumors, him going to Ferrari would have been far more entertaining that staying at Mercedes until retirement.
Jimmy Cliff
26th October 2023, 16:21
“Even in Vettel days he always got that * of being the number one driver in the best car with a slow old team mate”
Guess than Lewis should have that * as well considering 5 of the 7 championships were with team mates no F1 expert ever would call World Champion material. 2008 it was Kovalainen and 2017-2020 it was Bottas.
Bottas is probably the best ever wingman in F1 history – fast enough to be ahead of competition (steal points away from challengers) and slow enough to not bother #1 and happy/flexible to obey teamorders.
MichaelN
26th October 2023, 16:34
Not really, he won 14 more races with Ferrari, having won ‘only’ 38 at Red Bull. That alone would be enough to put him 20th in the all-time ranking, and 3rd among all Ferrari drivers. Schumacher obviously leads that category, and Lauda won 15 for the Scuderia.
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
26th October 2023, 19:38
He won 14 more races? I wouldn’t have guessed that, I’d have said maybe 8 wins at Ferrari. I guess in 17′ and 18′ I’ve sort of put them down as ‘Merc / Lewis’ years, almost forgetting that Ferrari actually started well until everyone involved remembered how to be Ferrari again.
Ajaxn
26th October 2023, 10:01
Hamilton’s wins would have been greater, if Mercedes had been that cold blooded a team and not allowed his team mates a win. Mercedes did a lot to manage his wins.
Verstappen being that selfish a driver, doesnt care what his team mates make of him. He is number one and no one else should have a look in. You look at what Perez did in 2021 to make him the championship winner by those slim margins, and you look at his subsequent relations, and you wonder if this is what Verstappen will be remembered for. Not his stats but his cold blooded nature.
NM
26th October 2023, 10:11
all depends on the person remembering him or any other driver, it’s all personal preference.
Moi
26th October 2023, 10:23
F1 driver that wants to win every race. Shocking.
I take it you’re more of a everybody-gets-the-same-medal-for-participating type of person?
Coventry Climax
26th October 2023, 17:50
;-)
Ludewig
26th October 2023, 10:44
@Ajaxn
I think that it’s very weird to claim that Max has these numbers because he is not allowing his team mates to win. For nearly all of his wins, he won purely on merit. Take last race. Perez was never in a position to even fight for the win, let alone deserve it.
And I definitely remember times when Lewis benefited from team orders that took wins away from his team mate. The main reason why Lewis won fewer races during seasons where he drove a dominant car, is that he’s had better performing team mates and has himself been less consistent.
SteveP
26th October 2023, 13:38
Verstappen, cold bllodded?
From a Hamilton fan, one name: Senna
jamt
26th October 2023, 11:54
Verstappen has won 50th races, but he has also been here for almost 10 seasons. Today we have more GPs per season, so there is “more” opportunities to win a race. Nonetheless, if we consider the numbers of race wins per GP started he is slightly above Prost and Stewart, and close to Schumacher in terms of percentage.
Driver (with at least 3 WCC); Wins/GP started
1 Fangio 24/51: 47%
2 Hamilton 103/328: 32% (still ongoing)
3 Schumacher 91/306: 30%
4 Verstappen 50/181: 28%
5 Stewart 27/99: 27%
6 Prost 51/199: 26%
7 Senna 41/161: 25%
8 Vettel 53/299 18%
9 Lauda 23/204: 11%
10 Piquet & Braham 14/126: 11%
Jimmy Cliff
26th October 2023, 16:15
Sounds odd but Max is only in his 9th season of F1 – still crazy to be 26 and have 9 seasons experience.
Looking purely at win % is also a bit populated given that many drivers have driven 1 or multiple seasons where it car they drove didn’t win any races and/or finished outside top 3 of constructor championship.
Just have a look at Alonso or Vettel – when they had a top 3 cars they won but plenty of seasons their cars was nowhere near top 3.
Or look at Schumacher was at 36.55% (91/249) when he retired in 2006, the 58 winless races from 2010-2012 Mercedes was far less competitive than even now in 2023 finishing 4th/5th in constructor championship.
To that extend 2023 might be the first season that the car Hamilton drives doesn’t win a single race – that said the Mercedes will still likely finish 2nd in constructor championship and probably should have won Singapore and Austin this year.
You are missing some legendary drivers from your list:
2nd Ascari with 40.6% (13/32)
3rd Clarck with 34.7% (25/72)
10th Moss with 24.2% (16/66)
melanos
27th October 2023, 23:39
And there are those pesky outliers from the Indy 500 races of the 50’s. officially part of the F1 season
Lee Wallard won 50% of his “F1” races (one out of two, outscoring even Fangio)
Bill Vukovich won 30% (two out of five), outscoring everyboby except Ascari and Fangio, Well, and Wallard, of course)
BTW in the USGP Max has just surpassed Sir Jackie Stewart for the sixth place in this particular statistic (or eight place counting the outliers). and most likely he will pretty soon be fourth, after only Fangio, Ascari and Clark. However it will be a lot harder for him to surpass Jim Clark, while Ascari and Fangio are probably beyond his possibilities.
Zann (@zann)
26th October 2023, 12:22
well it’s nice to see this respect from Max towards Lewis, but also we have to suspect it’s seeing his stats as a target, at the same time. Which he might achieve!
Coventry Climax
26th October 2023, 17:35
So which is it, 17 or 21?
MichaelN
26th October 2023, 19:35
Leclerc has taken pole 21 times.
Presumably, the 17 refers to the races in which he started from pole but didn’t win.
Coventry Climax
27th October 2023, 3:03
When in a manual, I’d classify it as Chinglish.
Lewisham Milton
26th October 2023, 19:41
How many post-race plank inspections has Max had?
sethje (@seth-space)
26th October 2023, 22:45
same as lewis.. but max car was legal, lewis car was illegal.
paulgilb (@paulgilb)
26th October 2023, 22:59
21st pole for Leclerc – currently the most for a non-World Champion.
Leclerc’s 4th (Sunday) front-row start this year – all on Sprint weekends.
5th different pole-sitter in the last 5 Austin GPs (Hamilton, Bottas, Verstappen, Sainz, Leclerc).
2nd consecutive year in which the pole-sitting Ferrari has not scored in the Austin GP.
Hulkenberg’s best Sunday finish since his 7th place in Australia.
Verstappen has won exactly 25% of hybrid-era races.
Stroll’s first points in Austin.
Piastri’s 3rd DNF, all of which have come before lap 13.
In the past 30 years, 1 US driver (Speed in Australia 2006) has crossed the finish line in a point-scoring position, and 1 US driver (Sargeant in USA 2023) has scored a point.
Thanks to statsf1 and the official F1 site for some of these.
melanos
28th October 2023, 0:02
Who just overtook Valtteri Bottas (20). Well, Bottas might still get a WDC, but that’s not very likely
Next are Rene Arnoux (18), then Stirling Moss and Felipe Massa (16),(and Massa just might get the 2008 WDC. Even more unlikely)
Then Ronnie Peterson and Rubens Barrichello with 14, Jackie Ickx, Juan Pablo Montoya and Mark Webber with 13, Gerhard Berger and David Coulthard with 12. Nobody else has more than 8 poles without a WDC.
On the other extreme, we have Denny Hulme, the 1967 WDC, with only a pole position in his career. I could not find a WDC who never made pole, please let me know if there are any.
Matteo (@m-bagattini)
27th October 2023, 9:18
These stats are nice, but they are getting meaningless with every year. Races are just too many these days to compare with even 15-20 years ago. We have points given for fastest lap and sprints. We should use percentages, but big numbers are what Liberty really love so lets go with that.
melanos
27th October 2023, 23:42
The problem with percentages is that you cannot really beat those legends from the fifties