Victory at the Italian Grand Prix was the fifth in a row for Max Verstappen, who is making the Formula 1 world championship look all too easy this year.
The most recent man to stop him from climbing onto the top step of a podium was his nearest rival, Charles Leclerc. Ironically, that victory for the Monegasque came at the Austrian Grand Prix – held at the Red Bull Ring.
But those successes have been too few and far between for the Ferrari star. That win in the Styrian hills is his only victory since April – Verstappen has crossed the finish line first at 10 Grands Prix since then.
By taking the chequered flag at Monza, Verstappen extended his championship lead to 116 points. And it also means it will be possible for the Dutchman to assure a successful defence of his title the very next time he races, at the Singapore Grand Prix.
Even after that race on October 2 has concluded, there will be five more left on this season's calendar. But Verstappen could already have the championship sewn up at that point, if he can further extend his lead at the top of the standings by 22 points.
That would require him to win in Singapore, which is not unlikely given his recent form. For it to be enough to secure the championship, though, Verstappen would also need Leclerc to finish ninth or below – or to not finish at all. His Red Bull team-mate, Sergio Perez, would also need to finish outside the podium places.
Despite being a remarkable achievement, securing the drivers' title with five races to spare would not be a record feat. Michael Schumacher dominated the 2002 championship and made sure he was champion when there were six races still to be run that year.
If he manages to win the title in Singapore, Verstappen will plant himself joint-second on the list of earliest championship successes, sharing that spot with Nigel Mansell who took the 1992 title with five races to spare.
By comparison, Lewis Hamilton's earliest title successes came in 2015 and 2020 – on both occasions, there were three races remaining on the calendar when he confirmed he would be champion.
One record Verstappen can break, though, is the percentage lead a winner has over their nearest challenger. The Dutchman currently has 53% more points than Leclerc, while the best in history is 48% – a record shared by Mansell from that 1992 season and Jacques Villeneuve, who won his one and only title five years later.
