Max Verstappen 'deserved' 2022 F1 title, feels double world champion

Max Verstappen secured his second consecutive world championship title last weekend at the 2022 Japanese Grand Prix, and two-time F1 world champion Mika Hakkinen believes the Dutchman deserved it. Despite an underwhelming start to the year, the Red Bull driver has managed to win a whopping twelve races so far, having a near-perfect season in 2022.

Praising Max Verstappen for his run this season, the Finnish driver claimed that the Dutchman has "dominated" the season. In his column for Unibet, he wrote:

“This was a fantastic performance by Max, the kind of race you dream about when going for the World Championship title. He said before the weekend that he just wanted it to be perfect, especially following the problems he and the team had in Singapore a week ago. Pole position wasn’t easy – only 0.01s fastest than Charles’s Ferrari! – but Max managed to pull the lap together really well.”

Mika Hakkinen added:

“His race start was incredible because it looked as though Charles had taken the lead but Max has so much confidence and held on. You can use that outside line at the first corner in the wet. It’s typical of what a kart racer can do, and Max used all his experience to take control and put Charles behind. From then on he was in a class of his own – really on top of the car. To win by 27 seconds after such a short race was brilliant. Max’s 12th win of the year really shows how much he deserved this year’s World Championship – he dominated.”

Despite taking the title so early on in the season, Max Verstappen still hopes to see more wins this year. Speaking to ESPN, the double world champion said:

"There is no real pressure anymore but I still want to of course try and win more races because with the car we have now you have to try and take advantage of that."

Helmut Marko expects Max Verstappen to "walk away" before breaking Michael Schumacher's record

Red Bull team advisor Helmut Marko does not expect Max Verstappen to chase Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher's record of seven world championship titles, claiming that the Dutchman is not the type to go for records.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the Austrian said:

"He’s [Max Verstappen] not the type of those who goes for records, I think one day (he) says ‘fine’ and then will walk away."

With four races remaining this season, Red Bull lead the constructors' standings and are on course to winning their first constructors' championship title since 2013.