Lewis Hamilton can save Sebastian Vettel from having his race wins total surpassed by Max Verstappen as the Formula One season enters its final three events. Remarkably, Verstappen can overtake four-time world champion Vettel’s tally of career victories – 53 – before the campaign comes to a close despite being just 26 years old. Vettel meanwhile retired at the age of 35, meaning Verstappen can theoretically thrash his total by the end of his own F1 career.
Vettel enjoyed a fantastic career before leaving the sport in 2022, gaining most of his success with Red Bull. The German had a sensational run of four consecutive Championships between 2010 and 2013.
However, his total of 53 race wins could be surpassed by the dominant Verstappen despite the Dutchman only recently turning 26 and only having won three titles so far. Red Bull’s latest superstar is on course to outclass Vettel’s total.
Verstappen has won 17 of 20 races in 2023. An incredibly successful season has seen the champion-elect take his own tally to 51 career victories with three races to go.
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But if anyone can defeat Verstappen this season, Mercedes star Hamilton seems most likely to do so. The veteran is enjoying some of his best form in over two years, when he was controversially beaten to the World Championship by Verstappen in 2021.
Hamilton was the runner-up at the Mexican Grand Prix and appears to be finding consistency after two years of struggling in the W13 and now W14. The seven-time world champion has not won a race since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix but could come close in Brazil, Las Vegas or Abu Dhabi.
The 38-year-old beamed after finishing behind Verstappen in Mexico City. “Honestly, I just wasn’t expecting that. It’s just always a great feeling when you are just putting one foot in front of the other and progressing,” Hamilton told Sky Sports.
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“The weekend had been really difficult compared to the last race where we had just hit the ground running. This weekend I was really digging deep to try and get the set-up right and I think we did a great job.
“Qualifying was a bit tricky and to be far behind the Ferraris, we need to finish ahead of them to keep the constructors’ [position] so that’s what I was pushing for today. To have progressed so well through the early phase of the race and be challenging for a podium and then a second place is amazing. I am really happy with the race.”
With a positive mood at Mercedes, Hamilton could help former rival Vettel fend off Verstappen.
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