It is a very rare achievement for someone to lead the drivers' competition in F1 (massively, at that), while only coming in third place in the constructors' competition.
With McLaren back and Scuderia Ferrari in good form, the end of the 2024 season is looking increasingly interesting. Max Verstappen's world title is not yet in danger, but with another win for Lando Norris and a possible nullity for Red Bull Racing, the sides could get so close to each other that it could even be called an open competition.
Until then, however, the Dutchman is on his way to another success, one that is not just special because it would be a title defence. His team is actually third in the constructors' championship, and if Verstappen manages to win the world title in these conditions, he could equal a 41-year-old record, namely that of Nelson Piquet, who became world champion in 1983 driving a car for a team ranked third in the constructors' championship. After the dominance of the past seasons, it is extremely exciting to write about it, but that is exactly the situation now.
