Ben Hunt: Why Verstappen's 2024 title success is his greatest yet

OPINION: Max Verstappen’s F1 title success this season has been his greatest achievement to date as he has overcome internal politics and a tough on-track battle to become a four-time world champion

It certainly lacked the controversial drama of 2021 - and whether he deserved it at all back then is for another debate.

In 2022, there was an inevitability that he’d retain the title. And in 2023 it was sheer dominance - 19 largely uncontested wins in 22 races, which was mightily impressive.

However, this, his fourth world championship title, is without doubt Max Verstappen’s most impressive yet. Not necessarily because of his brilliance on track - although the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, where he went from 17th on the grid to first was one of the greatest performances in the wet we have seen.

Instead, it is his best championship because he has still managed to come out on top despite the political turbulence and pressure that has surrounded him all season.

Not since 2008 and Lewis Hamilton’s maiden title has there been such turmoil behind the scenes. Hamilton’s victory came in the wake of Spygate and the incredible $100million fine for his McLaren team after a member of staff was caught in possession of Ferrari intellectual property.

Hamilton, of course, beat Felipe Massa in a dramatic finale as McLaren triumphed over Ferrari to reflect a season-long backdrop of rivalry between the two teams, not to mention getting one over on the FIA who had administered the penalty.

This season, Verstappen has been caught in the middle of a conflict that has threatened to rip his Red Bull team apart since before the Bahrain GP.

One can only imagine his thoughts at seeing his team boss Christian Horner become embroiled in such controversy that surrounded the investigation into his behaviour towards a female colleague. The immediate fallout inevitably disrupted the harmony within his team, which had of course dominated the previous season.

At the Bahrain GP, I’d asked Verstappen if he fully supported Horner during the internal investigation. It was an uncomfortable situation and he gave an equivocal answer. But it was the last thing he wanted to concentrate on at the season-opener.

Without a shadow of a doubt, the level of scrutiny into Verstappen’s future made life incredibly difficult as he was thrust into endless questions about whether he would be joining Mercedes

Despite all the background noise, Verstappen somehow kept his cool and his focus and won the Bahrain GP. Not only that, he had taken pole, led every lap and set the fastest lap of the race.

The disruption then became even worse when his own father, Jos, entered the Horner saga by making bombastic claims about the team principal, insisting he needed to be sacked immediately.

Jos Verstappen’s decision to turn up the heat on Horner only served to increase the pressure on his own son, as the narrative turned from discussing Horner’s fate to that of the three-time champion.

Verstappen’s future was scrutinised and he was drawn in as a by-product of the internal conflict. It raised further questions over whether the departure of Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s motorsport advisor would activate an exit clause in Verstappen’s contract.

That in turn prompted some rather desperate courtship from Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, only serving to create more disruption for Verstappen.

Without a shadow of a doubt, the level of scrutiny into Verstappen’s future made life incredibly difficult as he was thrust into endless questions about whether he would be joining Mercedes. His frustration was understandable but, unlike in previous years, there were no outbursts at the media or indeed his team.

Somehow, he continued to win and did not appear to become derailed or sidetracked by the speculation, even with the news that designer Adrian Newey would depart the team at the end of the season.

Only, unlike previous years, the wins did dry up. Had the off-track politics now destabilised the team to the point it was showing on track with Verstappen’s results? Again, the attention switched to the world champion. The questions about his future failed to dissipate and Wolff’s flirtation continued.

At the Austrian GP, I asked Verstappen in plain terms if he would stay at Red Bull. For the first time, he said he definitely would be remaining with the team where, incidentally, he has a contract until 2028.

Unbeknown at the time, his response to the question in the press conference had only served to up the ante with his father, who was livid that his son had inadvertently come out in support of Horner. Verstappen was embroiled in a rift that involved not only his team but also his family, yet on track another battle was coming to the fore.

Lando Norris was building up momentum and, after his maiden victory at the Miami GP, there was a feeling that the McLaren man would now seize the opportunity to capitalise on the political situation at Red Bull.

McLaren’s performance was increasing while Red Bull was on the wane. The Woking team’s car was undoubtedly the quickest and Norris was seizing the initiative. Later, Norris was also benefiting from the support of his team-mate Oscar Piastri; something that Verstappen has been unable to rely on with his stablemate Sergio Perez being so far adrift.

He later confessed to wanting to smash up the Red Bull garage in a fit of rage, only he didn’t. Instead, he went from 17th to first in what was the defining moment of the season

Inevitably, Norris and Verstappen’s battle for supremacy would result in them being on course for collision. It first came in Austria, where Verstappen was overly aggressive towards the McLaren driver, forcing him off track.

It was ruthless and cost him a 10-second penalty. The flashpoint was a moment that signalled the threat that Norris possessed to his title but what was particularly interesting was the way Verstappen handled himself in the fallout.

Instead of bemoaning Norris’s attempts to overtake, Verstappen said: “To me, the only thing that I cared about is of course maintaining my relationship with Lando, because we are great friends.” It was a most unlikely reaction. A rare sense of remorse.

As Norris pulled himself into contention, Verstappen showed maturity. He was unhappy with the Red Bull car and vented his frustration - understandably so - but there were no petulant outbursts of note when it would have been easy to throw people under the bus.

For the first time since 2021, Verstappen was being called upon to work for his title - and with a car that was no longer the quickest on the grid.

There was, however, one moment where speaking his mind did land him in trouble. At the Singapore GP, Verstappen swore during a live televised press conference, earning him a ticking off from the FIA and a community service penalty. It seemed unnecessarily hard on the Dutchman, especially since Charles Leclerc received just a fine for the same offence in the following race.

It was yet another political tightrope that he was required to walk, this time with F1’s governing body. He was clearly upset at how he had been singled out by the FIA but responded in a way that showed yet more maturity, by holding his own press conferences in which he would speak freely, as he always does.

There were further clashes with Norris in Austin and Mexico with the Dutchman again on the receiving end of penalties from the race stewards [in Mexico] as he effectively got his elbows out, taking drastic matters trying to blunt Norris’s momentum.

He also clashed with his old foe Lewis Hamilton in the Hungarian Grand Prix as they battled late in the race, with both drivers escaping the wrath of the stewards on this occasion.

All but one of the incidents were debatable - Verstappen’s lunge up the inside of Norris at Turn 7 in Mexico was not even contested by Horner, for he knew his driver was in the wrong.

Still the victories eluded him and, after being caught out by an ill-timed red flag in Sao Paulo GP qualifying, consigning him to starting down in 17th, he must have felt that momentum had turned against him, especially at seeing Norris take pole.

He later confessed to wanting to smash up the Red Bull garage in a fit of rage, only he didn’t. Instead, he went from 17th to first in what was the defining moment of the season.

For a driver that is so frequently lambasted for his petulance, this season we have seen a maturity. He has not had it his own way and has stepped up to find a new level and work hard for his title.

Furthermore, when Red Bull was seemingly imploding, the team needed inspiration from its drivers, and found it in Verstappen while Perez faltered.

He won’t agree, for Verstappen has already claimed that his success in 2023 was the pinnacle, but in terms of developing as a driver and overcoming external influences that posed a threat to his championship, this is, without doubt, his best.