Credits: IMAGO / Motorsport Images
After failing to qualify on pole during the sprint shootout, Max Verstappen returned to his dominant best during the traditional qualifying session. He registered a lap time that was over three-tenths quicker than second-placed Sergio Perez to claim his fifth consecutive pole position of the 2024 campaign. In the process, Verstappen also helped Red Bull register a historic milestone at the Chinese GP.
Verstappen registered Red Bull’s 100th pole at the Chinese GP, the same race at which Sebastian Vettel grabbed the team’s maiden pole position back in 2009. With this, Red Bull has become only the sixth team after Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes, Williams, and Lotus to register 100 pole positions in the history of Formula 1.
It is extra special for Red Bull to Vettel and Verstappen to achieve the team’s first and 100th pole position respectively as they are the team’s only two champion drivers. Vettel capitalized on his pole position back in 2009 at the Chinese GP as he went on to register Red Bull’s maiden F1 win.
Vettel and Red Bull also ended the 2009 campaign on a high. The German former driver narrowly missed out on the Drivers’ Championship to Brawn GP’s Jenson Button.
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Meanwhile, Red Bull missed out on winning the Constructors’ title to Brawn GP. While Vettel and Red Bull failed to win the championships in 2009, they established an area of dominance from 2010 to 2013. Both Vettel and Red Bull won four consecutive championships during this period.
A decade later, Max Verstappen can achieve the same feat that Vettel achieved a decade ago. Having won three consecutive championships from 2021 to 2023, the Dutchman can win a fourth in a row this year. Considering how he has been dominating week in and week out so far, he is likely to achieve the same.
Max Verstappen continues with his relentless domination
After qualifying on pole for the Chinese GP this weekend, Max Verstappen maintained his 100 percent record of qualifying on pole for each of the five Grand Prix this season. The Dutchman’s pole at Shanghai, however, was not easy to achieve as he struggled with the set-up of his car significantly on Friday.
Besides his pole position, Verstappen also won the first-ever Chinese GP sprint race and the first sprint race of the 2024 season. With Sergio Perez starting in P2 in the other Red Bull for the Chinese GP on Sunday, the team are the favorites to register their fourth 1-2 of the 2024 campaign.
