Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen made history on September 3 with a tenth consecutive win in the season with a victory in the Italian Grand Prix. Driving for Red Bull Racing, the world champion broke a record of nine wins in a row set 10 years ago by Sebastian Vettel with a win at the F1 Grand Prix in Brazil on November 24, 2013.
Verstappen, 25, who matched Vettel’s record by winning his home race in the Netherlands, is on course to win his third world championship this year. After Verstappen and Vettel, three Formula 1 drivers have won seven races in a row: Alberto Ascari, Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg.
On September 3, Verstappen started the race in second behind Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz, who scored pole position at his team’s home race and delighted the tifosi by fending off early attempts by Verstappen to attack his lead on the track. Verstappen eventually overtook him on lap 15.
Verstappen has won 12 of the 14 races this season, while his Red Bull Racing teammate Sergio Perez has won the two others. No team has ever won every race in a Formula 1 season. Perez finished second Sunday, while Sainz held off Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc to take third place. Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time champion whose consecutive win streak is five, sought to downplay Verstappen’s achievement before the race.
