F1 - INSIGHT • Graham Duxbury @ therealdux
Graham Duxbury is a former professional racing driver , celebrated SA champion and acclaimed motorsport administrator and commentator . A South African Hall of Fame Inductee , he made history in 1984 by winning the famous Daytona 24-hour sports car race in the USA in an all-South African team . Today , he heads Duxbury Networking , a leading IT company
MAX VERSTAPPEN
AND F1 ’ S NEW ERA
Having won four consecutive Formula One World Drivers ’ Championship titles , Max Verstappen has solidified his position as one of the sport ’ s all-time greats .
The son of Dutch former F1 driver Jos Verstappen and Belgian former kart racer Sophie Kumpen , Max has racing blood in his veins and has been a fierce competitor from an early age . In 2015 , aged 17 , he become the youngest driver in F1 history when he entered the Australian Grand Prix driving for Toro Rosso , the Red Bull junior team . A year later he was promoted to the senior team and won his first GP - the 2016 Spanish GP - on debut . He remains the youngest-ever GP winner .
Verstappen ’ s focus on winning has struck a chord with a new generation of fans many of whom have discovered the sport thanks to Netflix ’ s Drive to Survive . His bold personality , fierce driving style , and relentless determination have all contributed to his mystique , adding depth to the story of the sport .
For younger fans , Max has become a role model . His rapid ascent to become a multiple world champion has demonstrated t h e
value of grabbing early opportunities and maximising them . His victories have energised his native Netherlands , turning the Dutch Grand Prix into a sea of orange enthusiasm . This “ Max Mania ” is not reserved only for Zandvoort , but has expended to many circuits where Verstappen fans - the “ orange army ” – have made their presence felt .
However , there is a downside to Max ’ popularity . To the irritation of traditionalists , some new fans are growing increasingly tribal . Social media platforms are filled with often boring and irrelevant debates between Verstappen supporters and detractors . Verstappen has had to face many criticisms during his career , including a claim by former world champion Damon Hill – that he ( Max ) uses “ fear and intimidation ” to dominate his rivals .
However , criticism is not unique to Verstappen . Michael Schumacher , Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton – all of whom won consecutive titles with one team – periodically faced similar scrutiny . Schumacher is a natural comparison to Verstappen . The German ’ s five consecutive titles with Ferrari ( 2000-2004 ) represent many similarities - and differences - within the context of their eras .
Schumacher ’ s partnership with Ferrari revolutionised F1 by setting new standards in driver-team collaboration , where every aspect - from race strategy to fitness - was meticulously optimised .
Similarly , Verstappen ’ s relationship with Red
Bull , underpinned by Adrian
Newey ’ s technical genius and Christian
Horner ’ s leadership , reflects a modern version of Schumacher ’ s blueprint .
Another , and perhaps more direct , comparison can be drawn between Verstappen and Vettel , whose four consecutive titles ( 2010- 2013 ) were achieved with Red Bull . Both drivers benefited from the brilliance of Adrian Newey , whose engineering mastery played a key role in designing dominant cars . Vettel ’ s success was built around the RB6- RB9 series , which excelled in the “ blown diffuser ” era , while Verstappen ’ s titles have been defined by the RB18-RB19 , featuring aerodynamic superiority in the era of groundeffect regulations .
This shared technical foundation highlights Red Bull ’ s remarkable ability to adapt to changing rules and sustain dominance across vastly different F1 eras . However , Verstappen ’ s path to world championship success has arguably come under greater scrutiny , not only because of his youth but because his rise coincided with an explosion in the popularity of F1 . Vettel , while dominant , raced under a less-intense spotlight .
Hamilton , who won all seven of his titles powered by Mercedes engines , also bears comparison with Verstappen . Both drivers have dominated in their respective eras . Hamilton ’ s success was underpinned by Mercedes ’ mastery of the hybrid power unit regulations introduced in 2014 , creating a platform that allowed him to showcase his exceptional talent .
Likewise , Verstappen ’ s dominance has been driven by Red Bull ’ s aerodynamic expertise , coupled with his ability to understand and optimise the handling of the cars he has driven . A significant point of comparison is their ability to thrive under pressure and recover from setbacks with impressive comebacks .
Max Verstappen : One of the all-time greats .
In summary , Max Verstappen ’ s reign should be seen as more than simply another chapter in F1 history . He is a generational talent and a sporting phenomenon whose success has wide-reaching implications for F1 ’ s global appeal . And as he continues to rewrite the record books , he can be expected to move closer to the seven titles of Hamilton and Schumaker .
aBr WORDS IN ACTION 22 JANUARY • FEBRUARY • MARCH 2025