F1: Marko eyes all-time F1 record for champion Verstappen

(GMM) Max Verstappen is on track to break an impressive Formula 1 record in 2022.

The Dutchman has already wrapped up his second consecutive drivers’ title in dominant fashion, while Red Bull is cruising for its first constructors’ championship since 2013.

And the 25-year-old thinks more dominance is now on the cards.

“It will be about keeping this amazing team together,” he said.

“If we can do that, we can achieve a great deal together. It depends of course on the competitiveness of our opponents, but I firmly believe in more wins and titles.”

Dr Helmut Marko, who is the team’s closest contact with billionaire owner Dietrich Mateschitz, says Verstappen’s recovery after a “bumpy start” was impressive.

“Max said at the time that we needed 33 or 36 races to catch up – thank God we got it done quicker,” he smiled to Servus TV.

“It was also crucial that we had better reliability than Ferrari, but it also took an excellent performance from Max. I will never forget the maneuver at the start against Leclerc in Suzuka – that was extraterrestrial.”

Marko now has his sights on a remaining big goal – getting Sergio Perez over the line to complete a Red Bull one-two in the drivers’ standings.

“When you win, you always see that you can still optimize it,” he said.

“We have now clinched six drivers’ world championship titles, but we have never had both drivers in the top two places at the end of a season.”

And yet another goal is Verstappen breaking the record for the most wins by a driver in a single season – currently jointly held by Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel.

“I’m sure the 13 victories will work out, and if possible a 14th,” Marko told Osterreich newspaper.

“But it is more important to us that Perez secures his second place.”

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Verstappen just turned 25 years old last weekend and has 32 wins to Hamilton’s 14 at that age.  However, Verstappen has another 51 weeks at the age of 25 to pad his record pace of wins at the young age of 25.

Should Verstappen have another dominating year next year like he did this year, he would be on pace to have over 40 wins at age 25 to the 14 Hamilton amassed by 25.

That has Hamilton so worried, he is going to stay in F1 another 5 years to win as many races as he can to delay the Dutchman from destroying his legacy.

Time will tell how it all will play out, but the next 5 years should be fun to watch as two of the all-time greats go at it tooth and nail.

Hamilton vs Verstappen Cumulative Win Record by Age