Verstappen, double goal in Bahrain
It is said that a good start is half done. In Formula 1, the saying could be misleading, and the Ferrari of 2022 teaches it. Last year, in the Bahrain Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc beat Max Verstappen in a pyrotechnic duel, made up of overtaking and textbook counter-maneuvers and definitively interrupted by the Dutchman’s withdrawal due to technical problems. The Red Bull driver actually has a rather conflicted relationship with the Sakhir circuit: not only has he never won there, but in recent years he has been rather unlucky, considering that in 2021 success was only prevented from exceeding the track limits in overtaking Lewis Hamilton. Sunday Super Max has his biggest chance to reconcile with the GP. He drives a Red Bull that has appeared stellar, with the strength of someone who has won two consecutive titles and a goal that goes beyond 25 points: to win first place in 22 different circuits and reach third place in this special classification with a champion like Alain Prost.
The climb to the podium
The world champion is currently in fourth position together with Sebastian Vettel (who of course cannot be bettered). The Professor’s third place is only +1, but the Dutchman is already looking beyond that, because Michael Schumacher is +2, who won on 23 different tracks. Even if Verstappen fails to get on the top step of the podium in Bahrain, he would have other opportunities to climb the classification positions already this year, as Melbourne, Singapore, Lusail, as well as Las Vegas, course on which he never raced. Potentially, the world champion could go to 26, climb to second place and get close to Lewis Hamilton’s 31. Which seem unattainable, but with the increase in the attractiveness of Formula 1, more and more circuits want to make their debut in the Circus and could thus favor Verstappen’s assault on the record.
Data to contextualize
It is always good to specify that the data taken from different eras should be contextualised. The fact that Verstappen probably catches up with and surpasses Prost and Schumacher does not mean that he is or can become a stronger or more adaptable driver. Also because the Professor and the Kaiser have raced on 34 circuits, Verstappen is already at 31 and this year he will rise to 32, with the addition of Las Vegas. Furthermore, by their very nature, these classifications reward the most modern riders, considering the progressive lengthening of the calendars.
Victories in different circuits, the top-10
1. Hamilton 31/38
2.Schumacher 23/34
3. Prost 22/34
4.Verstappen 21/31
5. Vettel 21/37
6. Mansell 19/32
7. Alonso 19/36
8. Senna and N. Rosberg 17/30
10. Lauda 15/32
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