Max Verstappen - 2024 F1 Drver's World Champion

[Nitrodaze]

Max Verstappen, four times F1 Driver's World Champion!

This season was a mix bag of performances. Redbull and Verstappen started the season on a high and then came the dip. Some have said that was because the FIA ordered bits considered to be illegal in the car to be removed. With Redbull's dip came McLaren's ascendance. And we watched with interest as the handsome lead of Verstappen slowly got eroded by Norris, It seemed certain at that point, that we had a race-to-wire developing before us. The loss of the title to Norris was saved by how well Verstappen fought when he was down in a slow Redbull fighting on his back foot. He earned my respect by his determination to achieve the best possible damage limitation when the going was tough. This essentially is what won him his fourth and best WDC title to date.

He reaches the benchmark set by Vettel of four titles. Now we look forward to the future to see if he can better it. There is no doubt that he has what it takes to exceed four WDC titles.

But how did the driver's championship elude Norris and McLaren? We may need to be reminded of how woefully the start of the season was for McLaren. Their preparation for the 2024 season was off by the first four races of the season. The furthest thing on anyone's mind by the first quarter of the season was McLaren as a championship contender. They were mostly seen as a midfield team having a poor start to the season.

McLaren's season was a direct converse of the Redbull season. While Redbull started the season with a bang, McLaren started the season with a squeak. As Redbull's luck began to fade, McLaren's new car began to deliver surprisingly good performances through the middle of the season. As we approached the last quarter of the season, Redbull began to recover as McLaren's form began to plateau. The poor start of the season placed a high toll on McLaren's championship chances for the WDC. But also, they failed to make hay while the sun was shining. While Verstappen was doing a good job of damage limitation. Norris and McLaren were not doing a good job of maximizing the opportunity offered by their superior advantage through the middle of the season. They were too slow to realize that they were effectively in a title fight. Most teams would put their efforts into the driver that arrives at the summer break with the most points as the leader of the team for the second half. It was clear to everyone else apart from the McLaren management that they had to take a chance on Norris to see if a gamble to win the championship could pay off. How invaluable those points' reversion to Piastri has turned out to be.

Sometimes, opportunity comes unexpectedly. The difference between the champions and those aspiring to be world champions is how well they seize opportunity and convert it into a win. That is the difference underlying this 2024 championship outcome. That is why we admire Mercedes and Hamilton. That is why we now admire Redbull and Verstappen. Champions show what they are made of when the going is tough.

But McLaren and Norris would have learnt a very valuable lesson. Even when you are behind, you are still in a championship fight until you are not.

CONGRATULATIONS TO A WELL-DESERVING FOUR-TIME F1 DRIVER WORLD CHAMPION.
MAX VERSTAPPEN 2024 F1 DRIVER'S WORLD CHAMPION

[The Black Knight]

I disagree that this is a well deserved championship. Just like all the other he has benefited from his team cheating to get a head start in these rules and one championship handed to him. He also has an unbelievably weak teammate.

[F1nKS]

He also has an unbelievably weak teammate.

LOL, what was he supposed to do? Hold Checo's hand? If anything, it has been said that Max has been in Checo's corner for keeping him on the team.

[The Black Knight]

LOL, what was he supposed to do? Hold Checo's hand? If anything, it has been said that Max has been in Checo's corner for keeping him on the team.

No, the point I'm making is that his weak teammate is making Max look better than he is. I doubt Max would be on title number 4 if he had a strong teammate beside him like Lewis had at Mercedes all throughout his career. Were Lewis to have had a teammate like Perez at Mercedes he'd have 8 titles(this is unless the FIA fixed a second championship), and probably over 130 wins to his name.

[Nitrodaze]

I disagree that this is a well deserved championship. Just like all the other he has benefited from his team cheating to get a head start in these rules and one championship handed to him. He also has an unbelievably weak teammate.

I think you have to factor in the external challenge offered by Norris and McLaren. This was a championship that Verstappen had to properly fight for. The only one he really had to fight for. It was a pity that McLaren did not start their season with this car from the outset. What a tough season it would have been for Redbull and Verstappen. I think Norris would have won the championship easily otherwise.

[Nitrodaze]

No, the point I'm making is that his weak teammate is making Max look better than he is. I doubt Max would be on title number 4 if he had a strong teammate beside him like Lewis had at Mercedes all throughout his career. Were Lewis to have had a teammate like Perez at Mercedes he'd have 8 titles(this is unless the FIA fixed a second championship), and probably over 130 wins to his name.

Anyone in that second Redbull garage would always be a weak teammate. Perez is just another to prove that point. It has cost Perez more than he bargained for.

[F1nKS]

No, the point I'm making is that his weak teammate is making Max look better than he is. I doubt Max would be on title number 4 if he had a strong teammate beside him like Lewis had at Mercedes all throughout his career. Were Lewis to have had a teammate like Perez at Mercedes he'd have 8 titles(this is unless the FIA fixed a second championship), and probably over 130 wins to his name.

I think Ricardo could have been the guy to challenge Max (the equivalent of Rosberg to Hamilton). But when Ricardo jumped ship, he lost his way. And Red Bull just didn't have anybody to put in the second car that was talented. Perez ended up being more like a Bottas. I would grade Bottas better all-around driver. Perez strength was street circuits.

[Nitrodaze]

I think Ricardo could have been the guy to challenge Max (the equivalent of Rosberg to Hamilton). But when Ricardo jumped ship, he lost his way. And Red Bull just didn't have anybody to put in the second car that was talented. Perez ended up being more like a Bottas. I would grade Bottas better all-around driver. Perez strength was street circuits.

Ricciardo jumped ship because he was beginning to feel the curse of that second garage. I think he would have gone the same way as Perez in the end if he had stayed. It was a shame he could not reinvent himself as Albon and Gasly have done. The second seat at Redbull is a career culdesac.

[Williams]

I have a feeling Max will change teams during next season

[Nitrodaze]

I have a feeling Max will change teams during next season

Yep, Redbull building their own engine has the risk of the team slipping into the midfields for a few years. I seriously doubt Verstappen would have the patience to have winless years while others are winning. Like Hamilton did to Sainz, l suspect Verstappen shall be doing the same to Russell at Mercedes. The bad blood between those two is because they both know this fact. We could see another shuffle of drivers as a result. I can see Russell going to Redbull in a straight swap. Or Sainz heading to Redbull with Russell returning to Williams.
Verstappen in Mercedes could be bad for Antonelli. Verstappen is not a team player. Like most great champions, he would be concerned only for number one, himself.