Formula One is not in an ideal spot right now. Max Verstappen’s dominance has driven a way a number of fans, primarily in the US, who began following the sport in 2020 following the booming success of the ‘Drive To Survive’ Netflix series. But Verstappen’s dominance isn’t unprecedented, right, that’s what Formula One has always been about; one driver dominating for long periods of time without anyone or anything else being able to stop them, other then themselves. Well, it’s not quite that simple.
A Concerning Trend
From 2021-2023, Max Verstappen won 44 of a possible 66 races. Exactly two thirds. That’s a lot, but many fans have argued that it’s is nothing new, well, I beg to differ. From 2014-2020, Lewis Hamilton won 73 of a possible 138 races. That comes out to 52.8%, for comparison, Verstappen comes to a whopping 66.7%. This is already a significant discrepancy between winning percentage. But let’s go a bit further back and look at Sebastian Vettel’s run of four straight titles from 2010-2013. In that same timeframe, Vettel won 34 of a possible 77, which comes to a win percentage of 44.1% during this time. Now let’s jump further back one more time and look at Michael Schumacher’s run of five straight titles from 2000-2004. During this timeframe, Schumacher won 48 out of a possible 85 races. Schumacher’s win percentage was 56.4% during those years. So Verstappen’s dominance is nothing new as it has been like this for over two decades, but what is new is the unprecedented win percentage that Verstappen has had. If we remove the 2021 season for Verstappen and just look at the two complete seasons with the new regulations in place, it gets much worse. Verstappen has won a whopping 77.2% of races, that number makes Vettel, Hamilton, and Schumacher’s numbers look childish, granted, with a smaller sample size. Let’s also remember that this is only what has happened in the 21st Century, so let’s go back even further.
If This Wasn’t Always The Norm, What Was
Let’s go back to the very beginning of Formula One. In the sports first decade of existence was coincidentally also the last time the sport saw a run of dominance similar to what we have seen since the turn of the century. In 1951, Juan Manuel Fangio won his first of five titles. By the end of his run of dominance, he will have captured 5 of the sports first eight championships. Fangio won 22 of a possible 49 races, leaving him with a win percentage of 44.8%, about on par with the aforementioned Vettel. So four of the sports greatest champions, in four of the greatest runs of dominance, don’t hold a candle to Verstappen, so who does?
Let’s look at 3-time Formula One World Champion, Jackie Stewart. Between 1968 and 1973, Stewart won 25 races out of a possible 70. A 35.7% win percentage, not even in the same stratosphere as Verstappen. So, how about the great Niki Lauda. From 1974-1985, Lauda won 25 races out of 142, 17.6% win percentage. Let’s try one of the greatest racing drivers of all time, Ayrton Senna. From 1985-1993, Senna won 41 of a possible 144 races. A win percentage of 28.4%.
Apples To Oranges
I know comparing NASCAR to Formula 1 directly is controversial, and it’s like comparing apples to oranges. But I’m going to do it anyway; admittedly, to further prove my point.
Kyle Larson is perhaps the best driver of NASCAR’s current era, so you would think he has built quite the dominant resume since returning from suspension in 2021. That’s not necessarily the case. Despite winning the championship in 2021, Larson comes out to a measly 15.7% win percentage from 2021-Present Day. Larson has won 18 races out of 114 possible.
How about Kyle Busch, arguably the most dominant driver of the 2010’s. From 2008-2023, Busch won 59 races out of a possible 565, easily the biggest numbers we’ve seen in terms of sample size. 10.4%. The smallest number we’ve gotten yet, by far.
For my last example, I present one of the most dominant runs in NASCAR history. Jimmie Johnson from 2006-2010, five straight titles. For reference, only twice in NASCAR history has a driver won three straight championships, Johnson from 2006-2008 is the second; the first was Cale Yarborough from 1976-1978. From 2006-2010, Johnson won a whopping 35 races out of a possible 180. That comes out to a win percentage of 19.4%.
Who Holds A Candle To Verstappen
Above, I posed the question ‘If Hamilton, Schumacher, Vettel, and Fangio don’t hold a candle to Verstappen, who does?’
The answer is quite simple: No one!
After diving into the numbers a bit, it is clear to me now that no one in the history of auto racing (That I know of) has ever had a run of dominance quite like Max Verstappen’s.
What’s The Point!
I know I might be losing you by this point, but that’s okay. Because I feel my point has been made. People say what Max Verstappen is doing today has been happening for decades. In reality, that’s just not the case. What he is doing is truly unprecedented, and we may never seen a run of dominance like this again, or at least for a very long time. Now of course, take all of this with a small grain of salt; I am trying my hardest to back up my opinion with facts. As time goes on and Verstappen’s stretch of dominance grows, we will truly know what kind of mammoth levels of domination we are seeing. So although I, and many others criticize F1 for being one of, if not the most, uncompetitive and unbearably predictable racing series in the world, just know, what we are witnessing is truly unprecedented, no matter what people say.
Image Sourced via F1’s Facebook Page
