Could a Max Verstappen title win change the face of F1?

Could a Max Verstappen title win change the face of F1? 

By Tom Masters

The F1 season is coming to a thrilling conclusion, with the Qatar Grand Prix taking place tomorrow and just two more races after that. 

 

The title race is extremely tight, with Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen in a head-to-head battle for the 2021 F1 Championship. 

 

The Dutch driver currently has the lead over Hamilton by just 14 points, with the title going right down to the wire, starting in Qatar tomorrow. 

 

The question is, should Verstappen take the title, could it change the face of F1? 

 

A new champion 

 

Should Verstappen take the title from Hamilton, he will be the first new champion since 2016, when Nico Rosberg narrowly took the title. 

 

He would also only be the fourth champion since 2010, with only Sebastian Vettel (2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013), Lewis Hamilton (2014, 2015, 2017,2018, 2019 and 2020) and Rosberg winning the title in that time. 

 

Thus should the Dutchman cling on to take the title this year, it would spell the end to Hamilton’s dominance, suggesting that perhaps his time at the very top may be coming to the end, with Verstappen taking the reigns as the new dominant force in F1 

 

An end to Mercedes dominance 

 

Mercedes have won every title since 2013, with Hamilton and Rosberg the only champions since Vettel and Red Bull won.  

 

Thus, a win for Verstappen and Red Bull would be one of significance, with Mercedes’ incredible dominance in the sport set to come to a dramatic end. 

 

More competition  

 

Next year’s F1 season is one that everyone hopes is significantly more open than the previous decade, where barring Rosberg’s triumph, either Hamilton or Vettel have stormed to the title, winning in fairly comfortable circumstances. 

 

A Verstappen win here would change the whole dynamic, with Hamilton returning to being a challenger, and drivers such as Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez and Lando Norris hoping to become much more competitive. 

 

A Verstappen win would spell the end to Hamilton’s total dominance in the sport, something which may spell a change to the whole complexity of F1. 

 

Verdict 

 

On the face of it, a Verstappen win could do exactly that, and totally change the face of F1 for next season, with a more competitive league, and the end of the Mercedes and Hamilton dominance. 

 

A neutral F1 supporter may well be routing for Verstappen.