We witnessed a truly legendary season as Max Verstappen secured his fourth world championship at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

His performance was nothing short of spectacular, earning praise from fellow drivers and F1 experts alike.

Despite not always having the fastest car, Verstappen's consistency and strategic brilliance set him apart.

Lando Norris, who was one of his closest competitors, expressed his admiration: "He's deserved it. He has not put a foot wrong the whole year." Similarly, George Russell acknowledged Verstappen's ability to maximize every opportunity, while Lewis Hamilton praised him for delivering flawless performances throughout the season.

A Season of Pure Excellence

Red Bull team principal Horner declared that this was the best of Verstappen's four titles. Even Verstappen himself admitted that while 2023 was his most dominant season, this year was even more meaningful because he had to fight harder. "For about 70% of the season, we didn't have the fastest car," Verstappen revealed. "Yet we still extended our lead, and that makes us incredibly proud." This ability to outperform the car's limitations is what separates the truly great drivers from the rest.

Overcoming Challenges with Precision

McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes all posed significant challenges throughout the season. However, Verstappen remained laser-focused, never allowing setbacks to derail his championship pursuit. From Miami onward, the Red Bull was no longer the outright fastest car, but Verstappen still managed to secure crucial victories in Imola, Spain, and Canada.

He reflected on his approach: "we knew that if we kept maximizing points and avoided mistakes, we would stay ahead. we focused on what we could control and gave everything every single weekend." This mindset was the key to his dominance.

Numbers Don't Tell the Full Story

At first glance, the statistics might suggest that Verstappen had a comfortable ride to the title. He won four of the first five races and seven of the first ten. However, there was a long stretch of ten races where he did not win at all. His victory in São Paulo, where he charged from 17th on the grid in pouring rain, proved why he is regarded as one of the greatest drivers in F1 history. That race alone showcased his ability to extract every ounce of performance from his car, even in the most challenging conditions.

The Battle of Car Performance

Analyzing the raw data reveals just how impressive Verstappen's achievement was. While Red Bull had the fastest car early in the season, McLaren gradually overtook them after a key upgrade. In the latter half of the season, McLaren's average qualifying speed was 0.124 seconds faster than Red Bull's.

Despite this shift in performance, Verstappen still managed to secure better overall results. His average qualifying position was 2.8, compared to Lando Norris' 3.4. More importantly, he rarely left any points on the table, always getting the most out of his car.

A Champion's Mentality

Verstappen's ability to stay calm under pressure and deliver results under all circumstances is what makes him an F1 legend. While other teams and drivers struggled with inconsistency, he remained relentless in his pursuit of victory.

As we look ahead to the next season, one thing is certain: Verstappen is not done yet. His hunger for more success will keep pushing him forward, and if history has taught us anything, it's that when Verstappen sets his sights on a goal, he rarely misses.