Welcome at RacingNews365

Become part of the largest racing community in the United Kingdom. Create your free account now!

  • Share your thoughts and opinions about F1
  • Win fantastic prizes
  • Get access to our premium content
  • Take advantage of more exclusive benefits
Sign in
Max Verstappen

Verstappen coy over breaking Schumacher, Hamilton record

Max Verstappen is now just three F1 world championship titles away from Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton.

XPB 1308349 Hi Res
Article
To news overview © XPBimages

Max Verstappen is unsure over whether he will be able to match Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton's tally of seven F1 drivers' titles.

Verstappen claimed his fourth crown in Las Vegas to tie Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel as a quadruple champion, and is now just a single title behind Argentine great Juan Manuel Fangio. 

Verstappen's long-term future beyond his Red Bull 2028 contract in F1 is unclear, but if he were to win the title every year between now and then, that deal would expire with him as an eight-time champion - eclipsing the record Schumacher set in 2004 and Hamilton equalled in 2020. 

Reflecting on that possibility, Verstappen was not so sure he would be in a position to do so. 

"You need to have that momentum as well, you need to have the right team to be able to achieve that for a long period of time," Verstappen told media including RacingNews365 of the success that delivers titles and race wins. 

"It's not something that I set out to do. Of course, if it happens, it happens. But I'm already very proud to win four. I mean, at the end of the day, winning one or seven, it's the same thing, right?

"But, of course, if you can repeat it a few times, that is very nice. And, of course, I know that if we have that opportunity again, I mean, even with not the fastest car, we still won it, so I always know that when I sit in the car, I'm going to give it everything I have.

"Over the last few years, I also grew as a driver, and you definitely become more all around, so I am very excited to see what we can do next year. 

"It's very unknown at the moment how competitive we are going to be."

Most F1 drivers' titles

Driver Titles Seasons
Michael Schumacher 7 1994-1995, 2000-2004
Lewis Hamilton 7 2008, 2014-2015, 2017-2020
Juan Manuel Fangio 5 1951, 1954-1957
Alain Prost 4 1985-1986, 1989, 1993
Sebastian Vettel 4 2010-2013
Max Verstappen 4 2021-2024

Also interesting:

Join RacingNews365's Ian Parkes, Sam Coop and Nick Golding, as they dissect the Las Vegas GP and look ahead to Qatar! Max Verstappen's title success was a main talking point, as was the mounting pressure on McLaren in the F1 constructors' title fight.

Rather watch the podcast? Then click here!

Subscribe to our YouTube channel and claim your chance to win!

SUBSCRIBE & WIN

Join the conversation!

x
LATEST Russell reveals extraordinary Verstappen threat as feud escalates