Verstappen’s 2024 Triumph – More Than Just the Car

Few drivers in Formula One history have achieved the level of dominance that Max Verstappen now possesses. As he clinches his fourth consecutive World Championship, the Dutchman continues to cement his place among the all-time greats. Yet, a common critique lingers over his success: is Verstappen’s dominance a product of Red Bull Racing’s engineering genius under the guidance of Adrian Newey? While the RB18 and RB19 were revolutionary machines, the 2024 season offers a new narrative, challenging the stereotype that Verstappen’s dominance is solely reliant on having a dominant car.

Formula One is as much about the machinery as it is about the driver, as teams spend millions of dollars every season to perfect every aerodynamic surface and extract every millisecond of performance. Dominant drivers often benefit from superior cars, as seen with Michael Schumacher’s F2004, Lewis Hamilton’s W11, and Sebastian Vettel’s RB9. Verstappen’s recent championship victories in the RB18 and RB19 continue this tradition, with the Dutchman winning a staggering 19 of 22 races in 2023, also breaking records for consecutive wins (10) and points in a season (575). 

This dominance, however, only boosted the argument that Verstappen’s success was down to Newey’s genius rather than driver’s skill. The RB18 and RB19 were almost untouchable, and while Verstappen’s driving was undoubtedly excellent, the lack of competition left questions about how the Dutchman would perform under pressure. The 2024 season answered those questions emphatically. 

Unlike Red Bull’s 2023 dominance, the 2024 season presented Verstappen with a host of new obstacles. Although the RB20 remained one of the fastest and most reliable cars on the grid, it was far from the standout. Teams like McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes had significantly closed the performance gap. McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri emerged as genuine challengers, while Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, along with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, all claimed race victories. 

Despite a strong start to the season with seven wins in the first ten races, Verstappen endured a quite extraordinary mid-season drought, going ten races without a victory between the Spanish and Brazilian Grand Prix. During this run, Verstappen managed just four podium finishes, allowing Norris, Leclerc and co. to close the championship gap. However, the Red Bull driver’s consistency proved crucial, finishing in the top six of every race so far this season except for the Australian Grand Prix, where a rear-braking issue forced an early retirement.

The 2024 calendar showcased Verstappen’s ability to adapt under less-than-ideal circumstances. Following the Dutchman’s dominant start to the season, a retirement in Australia and floor damage in Miami allowed Sainz and Norris to claim victories, but a tyre-management masterclass in Imola saw him hold off Norris by 0.7 seconds in a nail-biting finish. Perhaps a season-defining moment came in Canada, when a wet-dry race saw Verstappen pull off a wet-weather masterclass to capitalise on Norris’ safety car woes. Performances like these underscore Verstappen’s ability to deliver under any circumstances, silencing critics who question his versatility.

However, Verstappen’s success is often tainted due to his aggressive and ‘my way or the highway’ driving style. This was on show once more in 2024; Verstappen’s slow stop in Austria allowed Norris to forge a late surge before Verstappen’s aggressive cornering caused a crash, ruining the Brit’s race, but the Red Bull driver recovered to claim fifth even with a ten-second penalty. Two races later in Hungary, Verstappen not only pushed Norris off the track at the start but crashed into Hamilton late on, but again salvaged fifth – results that perhaps a less durable car, or less talented driver, would’ve been unable to achieve.

Verstappen yet again jumped on any opportunity presented at Spa, surging from eleventh to fourth, beating Norris thanks to a clever undercut, but Norris wins at Zandvoort and Marina Bay closed the championship gap to 52 points heading into the United States GP. Controversy erupted as Norris’ late five-second penalty for an off-the-track overtake on Verstappen, coupled with Verstappen’s sprint race win, extended the Dutchman’s lead.

The title was effectively sealed in Interlagos as Verstappen produced an all-time classic. Starting in P17 after a grid penalty and chaotic qualifying session, Verstappen’s crucial stop just before a red flag saw him claim an unthinkable race victory, and this meant a fifth-place finish in Las Vegas on Saturday night was enough to seal world championship number four.

Despite Verstappen’s triumph, teammate Sergio Perez’s struggles offer an alarming contrast. Although the RB20 has not been the fastest car this season, Perez’s 2024 has been his weakest since joining Red Bull. Currently sitting in eighth place in the drivers’ standings with two races to go, his inability to consistently challenge for podiums or support Verstappen in the constructors’ championship led to questions about Red Bull’s decision to retain him. With the team sitting third in the constructors' championship, Perez’s struggles only highlight Verstappen’s brilliance. The same car that Perez has failed to master has become an extension of Verstappen’s excellence, indicating his championship win has not simply been a result of superior machinery.

By winning four consecutive titles, Verstappen joins an elite group. Only Hamilton, Schumacher and Juan Manuel Fangio remain ahead, and this season’s win draws him level with Vettel and Alain Prost. Yet, this title feels more significant. It wasn’t the dramatic last-lap showdown of 2021, nor was it the total dominance of 2023 – it was a hard-fought, challenging season that showcased Verstappen at his absolute best.

As Formula One looks ahead to 2025, Verstappen’s dominance raises questions for his challengers. Can McLaren continue their 2024 form? Will Mercedes find consistency they’ve so dearly lacked in recent years? Can Hamilton take Ferrari back to the summit again?

For Verstappen, the challenge will be maintaining his edge in an increasingly competitive environment. As others continue to close the gap, the battle for the 2025 crown looks to be one for the ages. Yet if 2024 has taught us anything, it’s that Verstappen’s brilliance goes beyond machinery. He is not just a driver benefiting from a great car; he is a generational driver who continues to rewrite Formula One history.