Max Verstappen has joined a very exclusive club since winning his fourth Formula 1 world championship for Red Bull.
He is just the fifth driver in history to win four consecutive titles after a superb run in the ground-effect era with the Red Bull team.
Verstappen dominated in 2022 and last season but this year was a much more difficult run to the championship in an inferior car.
McLaren and Ferrari both had a car quicker than Red Bull had for much of the season but neither were able to take full advantage.
Verstappen produced some superb drives, and former Formula 1 driver Jolyon Palmer told the official F1 website that there was one particularly impressive win this year.
Jolyon Palmer explained the Spanish Grand Prix is a win Max Verstappen ‘shouldn’t have taken’
Verstappen started the season with a clear advantage over the rest of the field having dominated the opening few rounds.
McLaren had begun to improve heading into Spain as Lando Norris took pole position with Verstappen alongside him on the front row.
The defending champion passed Norris into Turn 1 despite being pushed onto the grass but George Russell swept around the outside and into the lead.
Verstappen passed Russell quickly, just three laps into the race at Turn 1. This was an important move to control the race on a track that’s difficult to overtake on.
Norris was quicker for most of the race but Verstappen took victory down to his decisiveness in the opening few laps.
READ MORE: Jolyon Palmer pinpoints the moment Max Verstappen was ‘feeling the pressure’ before fourth F1 title win
Palmer explained the win at the Spanish Grand Prix was a superb drive from Verstappen and a vital step on the road to the championship.
He said: “The obvious standout is Brazil. Charging through the field from 17th and making the rest of the field look ordinary was exceptional, particularly with title pressures in play.
“The opening of the Spanish Grand Prix was also superbly clinical from Max, passing Norris and then Russell which set him up for a win he probably shouldn’t have taken.
“Finally Silverstone was a brilliant showcase of why he’s so difficult to beat over a season. Even when the car isn’t competitive, both team and driver managed to execute the absolute very best from the situation and finish second, extending Max’s title advantage.”
Max Verstappen’s consistency has made him very difficult to beat over a season
Verstappen managed the situation perfectly this season as he finished in the top six at all the races he’s finished in so far.
This laid the foundations for his fourth championship, as he made very few mistakes. Norris made a lot of errors as he adapted to the added pressure of racing at the front.
The McLaren driver dominated in Singapore but still made some mistakes which were close to being costly.
Verstappen has matured into a complete driver rather than someone who is quick but made significant mistakes such as early in his career.
He has now joined a very exclusive club of drivers with four world championships and should be in contention once more next season.
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