Congratulations to Max Verstappen - 2022 Champion

[Beau2]

We normally have one of these threads when a Champion is crowned.

Congratulations to Max Verstappen. He's been almost exemplary this year, easily the class of the field.

Fantastic year. Some fantastic championship drives this year.

[Adam43]

congratulations Maxi-baby!

[Tourer]

Congratulations Max & RB - been absolutely SuperMax this year, the team have called it right on strategy consistently and the car is clearly capable at all types of track.

[chillibowl]

He’s driving so unbelievably well in every phase of the race. Dominant season!

[steve_r]

He drove beautifully.

Unfortuantely he had almost no serious opposition after the first half dozen races or so.

[Aysedasi]

Well deserved, but at times, embarrassingly better than the rest. Great driver, great team, clearly the best car. Right result.

[S griffin]

At least this championship has less controversy than the last.

Ferrari made it easier for him at times, but he did make the most of his opportunities.

Certainly he seems a more level headed driver than last year, so you can't fault him there. He deserves the title, it's been a question of when not if for a while. Even if I'm not a fan of the people around him, I feel he's not a bad bloke, even if I've struggled to warm to him at times

Anyway congrats Max

[GT6]

Yes Big congratulations to Max, a brilliant season

[bjohnsonsmith]

Congrats to Super Max. After last year's dubious result he needed to show he could do it this season, which he did and more.

[Richard C]

Congrats Max. Now is the time to reveal your 10/10ths forum identity!

Richard

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

Congrats Max. Now is the time to reveal your 10/10ths forum identity!

Richard

Ah.... Now there's a good subject for a debate!

[GTRMagic]

Congratulations Mr Verstappen on your first world title

[john ruston]

Max deserves all the accolades this year.
He dominated in all aspects.
Precisely same as Vettle did in 2011, Hamilton in three of his Merc years Clark in 63, Schumacher in Benneton and three of his Ferrari years etc
Praise whilst you can and he is at top of tree.

[S griffin]

I've just seen something that says Verstappen's and Vettel's first two titles have quite a bit in common. Not only were they both driving for RBR and got back to back titles, but both got their first title in the final race in Abu Dhabi and the second in Japan, with four races to go.

[Greem]

In one moment, Max manages to tarnish his achievement. What a Berk.

[Skam85]

Disappointing isn't it.

Whichever side of the fence you are on, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton have always acknowledged their no.2s, in MSC's case handing wins to Barrichello and Hamilton letting Bottas through a few times.

Seems to be a RB thing, when Seb was there he was just as petulant, and Max is the same. But they can't/won't/don't want to put their stars back in their place.

[Beau2]

This might be worth a separate thread, but I don't really get the fuss. It was sheer bloody-mindedness for Verstappen to not let Perez through - sure it was a rather dick-ish thing to do but that's Max all over. To me it doesn't tarnish his reputation because I'm not surprised at all. As quick as Max is, he's always had this selfish edge to him.

Nonetheless, I feel sorry for Perez. He deserves better. For the good of the team, Max should have eased off at the last corner - but really this would have been no different to Austria 2002.

I find it more interesting that Ferrari didn't try and switch, even though it was almost exactly the same situation.

We hate team orders when they are used and yet we also hate it when they are ignored. It's a tricky one for the purists.

[Woolley]

Originally Posted by Greem

In one moment, Max manages to tarnish his achievement. What a Berk.

You say tarnished, I say confirmed.

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by Beau2

As quick as Max is, he's always had this selfish edge to him.

Agree, he's a top shelf driver but he ain't no saint - quite a common trait in those who win championships in F1 it has to be said, you'd have to go back to maybe Jenson Button as the most recent World Champion who had the selfish edge under control or well hidden.

[Anyopenroad]

Originally Posted by Woolley

You say tarnished, I say confirmed.

Red Bull and Verstappen deserve each other.

[Taxi645]

I see everyone disliking Verstappen is jumping with excitement again.


A few things:


1 Max position wasn't giving to him by Perez but was a result of a difference in pace. As shown by the 4s gap at the finish line. There was no position to give back, at most a request from RB to just let Perez passed to aid him in the points.
2 Max had apparently already indicated he wasn't to give his position to Perez and also why, so he did not promise to do so and also why ask him again and create a lot of media fuss?
3 So if Max had slowed down to the point of almost standing still 8s, how would that've looked? Don't sound like proper racing to me.
4 Are we equally critical of Sainz or does one think differently because of disliking of Max?
5 Should someone be handed a position if he doesn't manage to stay ahead of a teammate that comes all the way from the back?
6 No one will care if somebody was let passed or not in a few weeks. One can call the championship tarnished if one very much wishes to do so, but in the bigger scheme of things it's peanuts.


Both Perez and Verstappen understand street fighter mentality and Perez will have gotten the message. Most of us here, including myself would go about things differently but we are not in an F1 car and sure no F1 championship winners.

[greentrumpet]

MV has the championship, RBR have the constructors title. The team want SP to get second, they also pay MVs wages. As said above MV is merely confirming what we already know.

[Taxi645]

If he is confirming what is known than there is little reason to get exited is there?

About paying wages. An employee decides how to do his job, an employer decides if he keeps it.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Taxi645

1 Max position wasn't giving to him by Perez but was a result of a difference in pace. As shown by the 4s gap at the finish line. There was no position to give back, at most a request from RB to just let Perez passed to aid him in the points.

Perez - "I was told to let him by and that I was going to get back the position. I don't know what the complications were on his side, no idea. Maybe you should ask him about it. Nothing to say really. After all I have done for him, it is a bit disappointing to be honest."

Originally Posted by Taxi645

3 So if Max had slowed down to the point of almost standing still 8s, how would that've looked? Don't sound like proper racing to me.

I think a lot of people would have respected him for playing part of a team result, an helping his team-mate out. If Mercedes are a genuine threat in 2023, Max may need some of that assistance in return.

Originally Posted by Taxi645

4 Are we equally critical of Sainz or does one think differently because of disliking of Max?

People will give the same criticism to Sainz, and have done. Or does one think differently because of liking Max?

Originally Posted by Taxi645

5 Should someone be handed a position if he doesn't manage to stay ahead of a teammate that comes all the way from the back?

Yes - if they were given a compromised pit strategy to cover off another driver. It's about working together as a team for each other to benefit.

Originally Posted by Taxi645

6 No one will care if somebody was let passed or not in a few weeks. One can call the championship tarnished if one very much wishes to do so, but in the bigger scheme of things it's peanuts.

I guess we'll see if there is no mention of this again in the future. I suspect (as F1 has a way of turning out) that this incident will come back in the future. If I had to predict - Verstappen will be in a close battle with a Mercedes at the next round and be asked to compromise his strategy to give Perez an advantage. We'll see then how he reacts.

[P38 in workshop]

Sometimes the carefully crafted work of the PR people is undone in an instant.