The 15 victories of Max Verstappen's record season in pictures

That's it, Max Verstappen added a new record to his list. After that of the youngest driver to take a start or that of the youngest winner, the Dutchman became this Sunday the driver with the most victories in a season. Thanks to his 15^e success in 2022, the double world champion beat the mark held by two of his counterparts, Michael Schumacher (2004 with Ferrari) and Sebastian Vettel (2013 with Red Bull). A look back at the performance achieved by the Red Bull spearhead.

Saudi Arabia – Verstappen defeats Leclerc and wins his 1^st victory

After his retirement in Bahrain at the start of the season a week earlier, Max Verstappen returned to the charge in style. Only 4^e in qualifying, the Dutchman took advantage of a Safety Car to get back into contact with the leader Charles Leclerc. After a great battle at the end of the race, the reigning world champion managed to get the better of the Monegasque to no longer be caught.

After a great battle against Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen was able to celebrate for the first time this season. ©DPPI

Imola – The perfect weekend

Without doubt one of the best weekends of the season. After a 2^e retirement in 3 Grands Prix (Australia), Max Verstappen left nothing to chance in Emilia-Romagna. Pole position on Friday, victory in the Sprint Race on Saturday and success on Sunday, he completed a perfect meeting while Charles Leclerc made his first mistake of the season and only finished 6^e. The start of the pole reversal between Red Bull and Ferrari.

Pole position and two victories, the perfect weekend for Max Verstappen at Imola. ©DPPI

Miami – Verstappen serene in Florida

Defeated in qualifying by Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen made everyone agree the next day. Boasting a Red Bull with a better race pace than the Ferrari, the Batavian left his counterpart no chance. After a few quiet laps, he took action leaving the Monegasque behind.

Max Verstappen, first winner in history in Miami. ©DPPI/F. Gooden

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Spain – Leclerc’s misfortunes bring Verstappen’s happiness

In Catalan lands, the Ferrari was superior to the Red Bull. Charles Leclerc was well on his way to converting his pole position into victory. This was without counting on the first engine failure for the Monegasque. So alone at the head of the Spanish Grand Prix while Max Verstappen suffered behind him, the representative of the Scuderia was forced to retire, leaving the way open to his counterpart who was not asking for so much. For the first time, he led the championship which he would not relinquish thereafter.

George Russell tried to hold him back but Max Verstappen had the last word. ©DPPI

Azerbaijan – Ferrari down, Verstappen triumphs

As in Spain, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was promised to the Reds. Charles Leclerc was untouchable in the streets of Baku. But even when everything seems to be going well, Ferrari manages to put obstacles in its way. As in Barcelona three weeks before, the F1-75 from the Monegasque the coward offering the 5^e victory of the season at Batave on a plateau.

With both Ferraris on the ground, Max Verstappen made a solo crossing to Baku. ©DPPI

Canada – Verstappen resists Sainz

Charles Leclerc sent to the back of the grid after his first engine penalty of the year, Max Verstappen had to battle against his teammate Carlos Sainz. If the Spaniard was more than threatening in the last 15 laps, the future double champion did not give in, thus converting his pole position into a 6^e victory in 2022.

Carlos Sainz gave everything but Max Verstappen did not tremble. ©DPPI/F. Gooden

France – The start of a great series

Under the Var sun, Max Verstappen was promised to admire the rear wing of Charles Leclerc's Ferrari throughout the race. The Red Bull a notch below compared to the Italian mount, the Dutchman was heading towards a 2^e place ensuring good points for the championship. Here again, fate would play in his favor since his counterpart from the Scuderia crashed into the background after losing his F1-75 all alone. A gift falling from the sky which allowed him to start a very beautiful series.

Max Verstappen took advantage of Charles Leclerc's accident to reign in France. ©DPPI

Hungary – Verstappen resists everything

No power in qualifying and only 10^e on the grid, Max Verstappen expected a difficult Sunday in the Hungarian turnstile where overtaking is not an easy task. But Max did Max. Winding up like a clock, the Batavian quickly gained positions thanks to his excellent pace, even finding himself in the lead at mid-race. Trapped by a puddle in the last sector and spinning, he managed to regain control of his property and sign a 3^e consecutive victory. Nothing and no one seems able to bring him down.

Despite a spin, Max Verstappen won in Hungary. ©DPPI

Belgium – Verstappen’s comeback

This is arguably his greatest show of strength of the season. Relegated from pole position to 14^e place on the rack (13^e after the start of the pit lane of Pierre Gasly), Max Verstappen was on cloud nine in the Ardennes. In the Top 10 at the end of the first lap, he then had no trouble catching the “poleman” Carlos Sainz and his teammate Sergio Pérez who did not resist him.

Max Verstappen was in great form at Spa-Francorchamps. ©DPPI/F. Gooden

Netherlands – Triumph at home

On his land, Max Verstappen is still the king. After 2021, the Red Bull driver once again dominated his national meeting. If the Mercedes and especially Lewis Hamilton once believed in victory, the local quickly dampened their hopes. Fitted with new tires at the time of the Safety Car relaunch, he obliterated the Englishman to deprive him of his first success of the year. For the first time in his career, he won 4 Grands Prix in a row.

At Zandvoort, the celebration was total for Max Verstappen. ©DPPI/A. Vincent

Monza – Victory in hostile lands

In the Temple of Speed, everything was in place for Ferrari to celebrate. Charles Leclerc's pole position was supposed to start the hostilities but the gamble attempted by the Scuderia during the race ultimately did not work. On an offbeat strategy and despite one less stop, Max Verstappen defeated the Reds on their own soil to climb to the highest step of the podium for a 5^e Sunday in a row.

Intervened at the end of the race, the Safety Car spoiled the party. ©DPPI/F. Gooden

Japan – Victory and coronation in confusion

After an interruption of more than 2 hours due to bad weather conditions, Max Verstappen was able to restart the pack. If Charles Leclerc appeared threatening in the first laps, the Batavian quickly put him in his place. Penalized after winning with an advantage from the outside over Sergio Pérez in the last lap, the Monegasque offered the 2^e crown at Super Max at the end of a very confusing race where even the main person concerned did not know that he was champion.

Suzuka was the scene of Max Verstappen's 2nd title. © DPPI

United States – Verstappen alone against everyone

Too short to defeat the Ferraris in qualifying, Max Verstappen decided to wait for Sunday, the day that matters the most and the one he loves the most. Carlos Sainz on the carpet from the first turn, the protégé of the Red Bull clan was heading for a 13^e success with complete peace of mind. However, an 11-second stop reshuffled the cards with just over 20 laps to go. Ironed 3^e, the Dutchman rolled up his sleeves to depose Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton in quick succession and equal the mark held by Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel.

Lewis Hamilton could not resist Max Verstappen's attack. ©DPPI/X. Bonilla

Mexico – Verstappen in history

It's the record race! The race where he perhaps seemed most under threat from the Mercedes. Although attacked by the Silver Arrows, Max Verstappen did not flinch or show the slightest sign of weakness for Lewis Hamilton to take advantage. After a first stint finished with less than 5 seconds in advance, he put everyone back in their place during the second during which the Englishman progressively lost time until he was almost 16 seconds behind on the finishing line. arrival. Solo, Max Verstappen took the checkerboard in first position for 14^e time of the year and entered F1 history as the driver with the most victories in a season. 14 and series still in progress…

Abu Dhabi – Verstappen finishes in style

He could not have finished the season of his second world title better. A week after the Brazilian disappointment where he was never in the race, Max Verstappen got back to the right place perfectly. After an authoritarian pole position on Saturday, the son of Jos Verstappen did not tremble on Sunday to sign a 15^e victory thus pushing his record a little further. Thus, the Batavian completed a campaign with a success rate of 68,18%. Definitely the best of the year!

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