Max Verstappen secured his third Formula 1 world championship with a second-place finish in the sprint race at the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix.
A sprint sealed it under the lights
The title arrived on Saturday evening at the Lusail International Circuit. Verstappen needed only sixth place to put the championship beyond teammate Sergio Pérez. Pérez attempted a triple pass on Nico Hülkenberg and Esteban Ocon into Turn 2, triggering a crash that ended his title hopes and drew a radio shout of "They sandwiched me!" from Hülkenberg.
With Pérez out, the arithmetic became simple. Verstappen slotted his Red Bull between the two McLarens, crossing the line second behind sprint winner Oscar Piastri, and the crown was his with six grand prix weekends still to run.
Nineteen wins and a record that stood 70 years
The championship felt inevitable long before Lusail. Verstappen won 13 of the first 16 races, then reeled off a record 10 consecutive victories — eclipsing Sebastian Vettel's 2013 benchmark of nine. By season's end he had claimed 19 wins from 22 races, an 86-percent strike rate that broke Alberto Ascari's 1952 record of 75 percent.
The 2023 campaign also delivered 21 podium finishes and 575 points, making it the most dominant season in the sport's history. Verstappen joined an exclusive group of triple champions, including Jack Brabham, Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna.
"The one I am most proud of — the best," Verstappen told reporters afterwards, ranking the third title above his dramatic 2021 decider and the 15-win campaign of 2022.
A teenager who began his first grand prix at 17 years and 166 days had, in under a decade, dismantled the record books.
