Will Max Become The GOAT?

   

 The greatest driver of all time in F1 is up for debate. Obviously. Lewis and Schumacher will get a lot of votes because they are tied for driver titles with 7 each and they are 1 and 2 when it comes to career wins. Ayrton Senna is many peoples pick for the GOAT, he won 3 titles before his untimely death in 1994, it's hard to say but a lot of people think he would be right up there in stats with Lewis and Michael if he had continued on for another decade of racing. Now, even though he is still relatively early in his career, Verstappen looks like he will be the next man up gunning for the greatest driver ever title. He will have a lot of people arguing against his case as well.

     We all know the circumstances surrounding Max's first drivers title. There will be a segment of F1 fans that will be mad about that outcome for the rest of their life and will not acknowledge that he won in 2021. I'm sure Max couldn't care less about what they thing. Last years title wasn't debatable on the track, after a slow start Verstappen pulled away and had it wrapped up before Austin. Unfortunately, even this championship has people calling foul because the cost cap debacle surrounding Red Bull. If the 2023 season continues the way it has started, and Max and Red Bull have a clean season, this will be his 3rd straight title, but in many people's eyes it will be his first legitimate title.

    Now it is time to speculate and make some predictions on Max's career going forward. Starting the 2024 season with 3 titles and potentially 50 career wins (he will need to win 14 of the next 21 races in 2023 to reach 50 race wins). My guess is he will sweep this rule/car regulation that is over after the 2025 season, so that will get him to 5 titles and between 65-85 race wins. The new regulations may throw a wrench into things, they were dominate with Vettel in the early 2010s, winning 4 straight double championships, but when the turbo hybrid era began, Mercedes obliterated the rest of the grid. There is a potential of that happening with every regulation change, but I think as long as Red Bull has Adrian Newey as their car designer they will be able to take on any new changes. However, the new regulations could be the end of the title run for Max, he could still have a shot at the all time wins record if he races until 2030 or beyond. That is one scenario, there is also a scenario they sweep that 4 year era and Max is sitting with 9 drivers titles. 

    Like I said at the start, there are plenty of people that will look for any reason to discount Max's first two titles and any more he wins in the future. That means that even if he ends up with 9+ titles there will be a percentage of F1 fans that will never say he is the greatest ever. Some people consider winning championships with multiple teams as another factor that makes you the greatest. Lewis did it with McLaren and Mercedes, Schumacher did it with Benetton and Ferrari, Prost won with McLaren and Williams. Max only winning his titles with Red Bull may not be a favorable factor in people considering him the greatest. Reaching the top of the sport with multiple teams shows that you are a versatile driver that can elevate any care they are in to a championship contender. I agree, but ?I don't think that should be a knock against Verstappen , who I assume will spend his entire career with Red Bull.

    Another thing you need to consider is Max wanting to break these records. He has been racing in F1 since he was 17, after 10-12 years grinding it out he may want to walk away and do something else. He'll have all the money in the world, multiple drivers titles and at worst 3rd in all time wins. Max could very well call it a career while he is still a young man and maybe try is hand at WEC or do more sim racing. It would be cool if he retired and then pulled an Alonso and come back in his lat 30s, early 40s for a 2-3 season swansong.

    I think Max will end up with 8 titles and 1014 wins. It will be a little easier for him to rack up the wins than some of the historic greats just because there are so many more races on the calendar for him the potentially win. Again, some will hold that against Verstappen, but that is out of his control. One thing I would love to see is a huge falling out with Red Bull. I'd love for Jos to stir up some shit, then Horner will tban him from the paddock, then Max and Horner's relationship will fall apart and Max will leave for...let's say Ferrari. Seeing Max with 5 Titles with Red Bull and 4 with another team would be awesome.

    What are your predictions on how Max will untimely land on the all time great list.