Verstappen expected to remain dominant in the coming years, experts say

Max Verstappen is expected to win his third Formula 1 world title in Qatar this weekend at the Qatar Grand Prix. While sports experts believe the Dutchman will remain dominant in the coming years, his team's technical director strikes a more cautious tone.

The 26-year-old Red Bull driver could become world champion as early as Saturday in the sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix. The top eight drivers in the sprint receive points. Verstappen needs just three points to become champion, meaning he has to finish sixth or higher in the sprint race on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. CEST. If Verstappen does not secure enough points in the sprint, he still has the opportunity to claim the title in the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday.

Verstappen won thirteen out of the sixteen races this season. "People say it's becoming monotonous because Verstappen wins everything, but it's impressive how he consistently delivers every week. I watch him with great respect," said car racer and analyst Jeroen Bleekemolen. "What we're witnessing is truly unique," he added.

The dominance of Max Verstappen in Formula 1 is set to continue for some time. "What's remarkable is that Red Bull's car isn't much better than the others,” Bleekemolen said. “Max is single-handedly dominating this sport and I believe this will continue for the next few years,” he said.

"Red Bull has a top-notch car, but it's thanks to Verstappen that it wins every time. The way he handles that car showcases his talent and class,” said expert Kees van de Grint, who previously worked in Formula 1 including as a tire expert at Ferrari during Michael Schumacher's golden era. “As long as Red Bull has the 'Max-factor', he will continue winning,” he added.

However, not everyone shares this sentiment. Pierre Waché, the Technical Director of the Red Bull team, said he expects his team to be less dominant in the 2024 Formula 1 season. "The more stable the rules remain, the smaller the advantage we currently hold," the Frenchman recently said in an interview with AFP.

"We didn't expect to be this dominant or break records. We thought that Mercedes and Ferrari would be much closer to us from the beginning of the season," said Waché.

However, he said he expects that in 2024, Mercedes and Ferrari in particular will pose a much stronger challenge to Red Bull than this year. The rules for car development will remain relatively unchanged, allowing competitors a better opportunity to narrow the gap with Red Bull. "The championship could become more challenging and complex for us," he said.

This prediction is also influenced by the penalty Red Bull received last year for exceeding the budget cap. The team was granted 10 percent less time to test the car in the wind tunnel. "This penalty will have a more significant impact on our 2024 car. Our development curve has been slower."