Karun Chandhok has issued an ‘alarming’ claim about Red Bull star Max Verstappen ahead of the Japanese GP whilst explaining how Formula 1 fans have been ‘robbed’.
The travelling circus of the pinnacle of motorsport returns to Suzuka this weekend for round four of the 2024 season. Formula 1 moved the Japanese GP forward from its September slot to April for the first time in its efforts to bundle races by region to further reduce emissions.
It was seven months ago that Verstappen won the 2023 Japanese GP in his and Red Bull’s dominant season. The win marked one of 19 Grand Prix victories the 26-year-old registered, with the team from Milton Keynes winning a further two over the 22 thanks to Sergio Perez.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen has won 36 of the last 47 Formula 1 Grand Prix
Verstappen further set Formula 1’s new record for consecutive Grand Prix victories last year with 10 in a row. The Dutchman got atop the podium from the Miami GP to the Italian GP. He even had a nine-race winning streak from the Japanese GP to the 2024 Saudi Arabian GP.
Both times, Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz ended Verstappen’s stranglehold of the top step. The 29-year-old is the only non-Red Bull driver to win a Grand Prix since George Russell took his maiden victory in Formula 1 at the 2022 Sao Paulo GP with Mercedes’ only win that season.
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Seeing out 2023 by winning the Abu Dhabi GP also saw Verstappen exceed Sebastian Vettel with the third-most Formula 1 race wins. Kicking off 2024 with two wins in three rounds has also moved Verstappen onto 56 behind Lewis Hamilton (103) and Michael Schumacher (91).
Karun Chandhok finds the ‘ease’ of Max Verstappen’s dominance ‘alarming’
Sky Sports F1 pundit Chandhok even claims the rate of Verstappen’s wins is ‘alarming’ as the Red Bull driver has sealed 36 in 47 races since Formula 1 adopted new ground effect cars in 2022. He even feels it parley left F1 fans ‘robbed’ given the void of a driver market for 2024.
Chandhok has told Motor Sport Magazine: “With an unprecedented scenario of every team retaining their driver line-up for the new season, we all felt a bit robbed of the fun that silly season brings.
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“At a time when Max Verstappen seems to be able to rattle off wins with an alarming frequency and ease, the sport really missed having a bit of intrigue in the paddock.”
Formula 1 made history this year by having the exact same grid line-up for the 2024 season-opening Bahrain GP as it did at the 2023 season-finale Abu Dhabi GP. Never before since F1 started in 1950 had every team kept the same line-up they finished the previous year with.
The post ‘Alarming’: Karun Chandhok issues fraught Max Verstappen claim as F1 fans ‘robbed’ appeared first on F1 Oversteer.