Max Output: Where Does Verstappen’s Dominance Rank in Sports?
Verstappen on Historic Run
The Canadian Grand Prix was yet another win for Max Verstappen and Red Bull. It was the two-time defending champion’s fourth straight victory and his third straight doing it from pole position. He’s a no-brainer F1 prediction to win the title as he and Red Bull race to sweep the F1 season for the first time in the sport’s history.
Given his run, where does Verstappen’s performance rank amidst the most dominant one-year or one-season performances by athletes?
Most Dominant Seasons By an Athlete
Should Verstappen continue to win and break F1 records, it’ll be the best performance by a driver in F1 news. That’s saying a lot considering how many greats he follows. But in the wide world of sports, Verstappen’s dominant run may still be just as good as some of the greatest.
Richard Petty (NASCAR, 1967)
In America, there is only one true “King”: Richard Petty. The NASCAR legend put on a season for the ages as he set and broke multiple records during the 1967 season. Petty won 27 of 48 races, includg anin unbelievable 10 straight. Over half a century later, no driver has even come close to equaling this feat, with Jeff Gordon being second all-time with six.
Secretariat (Horse Racing, 1973)
From the tarmac to the dirt, Secretariat’s horse racing records remain unbeatable even today. Also known as “Big Red,” the thoroughbred was a force of nature and not only won the Triple Crown – the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes – but set records in each of them.
Wayne Gretzky (NHL, 1984-85)
When it comes to unbreakable records, bet online that no one will touch Wayne Gretzky. “The Great One” is the only NHL player to record a 200-point season, and he did it four times. His greatest season was 1984-85. He not only led the league in scoring (73 goals and 208 points) but also set a plus-minus record of +100, the highest by a forward. In the playoffs, Gretzky once again set an unbeatable mark with 47 points in 18 games. His Edmonton Oilers easily won the Stanley Cup.
Wayne²
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— NHL (@NHL) June 11, 2023
Joe Montana (NFL, 1989)
Still lauded by some as the greatest quarterback ever, Joe Montana’s greatest season was the one where he won his first MVP and fourth Super Bowl. Montana threw for 26 touchdowns for a 112.4 passer rating and a 70.2% completion rate. It gets better in the playoffs. He threw 11 touchdowns (an NFL record) and posted a 146.4 rating. His San Francisco 49ers outscored their opponents 126-26.
Tiger Woods (Golf, 2000)
We have to go back to the year 2000 to see the coronation of golf’s biggest superstar. Tiger Woods smoked the online gambling odds as he won nine of the 20 PGA Tour events he entered, including three of the four majors. He won the U.S. Open by a record 15-stroke margin and became the youngest golfer to achieve the Career Grand Slam at 24 years old.
Jon Jones (UFC, 2011)
Jon Jones returned with a vengeance early this year to quickly submit Ciryl Gane and become a two-division champion. This performance harkened to Jones’s early years as a young star. In 2011, he became the youngest UFC champion as he beat down Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. He then defended his belt by submitting Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Lyoto Machida, two former champs. And to start the year, he finished the previously unbeaten Ryan Bader.
Michael Schumacher (F1, 2002)
The F1 pick has to be Michael Schumacher’s 2002 season. The German won 11 of the 17 races and finished on the podium in all of them. Schumacher also had four hat tricks (pole position, fastest lap, and a racing win), and his 144 points were nearly double of his teammate, Rubens Barrichello, who finished second.
