SUMMARY
- Jean Todt think Max Verstappen's winnign streak could end similar to how Ferrari lost in 2005.
- Verstappen is coming off after having the most successful season in F1 history.
Max Verstappen has proven to be one of the most formidable drivers in F1. After winning his first Championship with Lewis Hamilton in 2021, he has been completely unstoppable. In 2023, he broke several single-season records including most wins, highest win percentage, and several others. However, a certain former team principal for Ferrari seems to think that this streak will end soon.
Jean Todt served as Ferrari’s team principal during the team’s glory years with Michael Schumacher. He was one of the key members in making the team successful alongside Schumacher, and Ross Brawn. Todt seems to think that Max Verstappen’s form cannot continue for long given that a lot of other drivers will be gunning for his crown.
Jean Todt believes Max Verstappen cannot continue his streak for long
In a recent interview, Jean compared Red Bull’s current Championship run to the one Ferrari had with Schumacher in the early 2000s. The German driver led the team to win 5 consecutive Drivers’ Championships and 6 consecutive Constructors’ Championships. In doing so, he became the most accomplished driver at the time.
Schumacher’s run was put to an end by Fernando Alonso as he rose as the rising start with Renault. Todt thinks something similar will happen to Red Bull and Verstappen soon.
“Do you remember 2005?” he asked. “The same team, the same drivers after a season full of victories, and although we still had Michael, we were no longer competitive.
“The following year we were fast again, but ultimately we lost the title due to reliability problems,” Todt added.”
Ferrari-like slump possible for Red Bull – Todt https://t.co/sUbtnJg0Wk pic.twitter.com/NOs9V0xum2
— Nextgen-Auto.com (@NextgenAuto) January 22, 2024
After winning 5 Championships with Ferrari, Michael seemed to be unstoppable. However, a young Fernando Alonso took the challenge to the 7-time Champion and came out on top. During the 2005 season, Ferrari was not able to build a very good car due to the regulation changes. Hence, they were nowhere near the Championship battle.
The next year, the red car was fast but had too many reliability issues. This cost the team some valuable points that allowed Alonso to take his 2nd Championship. During the 2006 Italian Grand Prix, Michael announced his retirement from the sport.
The Alonso of 2024: Who can stop Max Verstappen’s dominant spell?
There are several drivers in F1’s current grid that can dethrone Max Verstappen in the coming years. Given that Red Bull has been leading the pack, they will fall prey as the other teams begin their hunt.
Some of these teams will have a real shot at the Championship in the coming years. We have seen some good progress from teams like Ferrari, Mercedes, and McLaren. All of these teams have drivers who are capable of taking the challenge to Verstappen.
Charles Leclerc has been putting up a fight with Red Bull’s drivers in the last 2 years. When the 2022 season first started, it looked as though Leclerc would take the Championship. However, reliability issues slowed him down and allowed Max to take his 2nd Championship.
#Corriere Would Leclerc be able to do what Verstappen does if he were in the best team?
Jean Todt: “Sure. In F1 there are good ones, and then a very small group of very good ones of which Leclerc is part of.” pic.twitter.com/IjUf8TqyZl
— tami. (@Vetteleclerc) April 1, 2023
In 2023, we saw McLaren make a lot of progress. Lando Norris is coming off his best season yet. However, the team will still have a lot of work to do if they hope to challenge Red Bull in the coming seasons. If they are able to pull it off, there is no doubt that Norris will be a Championship contender.
Lewis Hamilton is the most accomplished driver in F1 history. Ever since he lost the 2021 Championship, his team has been doing everything they can to build another contender that can take the challenge to Red Bull. Given that James Allison is back in his role as Technical Director, there is a good chance that they will be able to build a strong car in the coming years. If they do so, Hamilton will be giving everything he can to take the Championship.
Which one of these driver do you think will dethrone Max Verstappen? Post your answers in the comments below.