“Wow, how did Max do that again?”

The old and new Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen put his 14th win of the season on Sunday in Qatar quite soberly: “It was a good race overall.” The media did not share this calm view of the 26-year-old Red Bull driver. Verstappen is a “robot,” a “prodigy who has matured into a man,” and he has “unbelievable reliability at the highest level,” it was said in various newspapers yesterday.

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner also raved about his superstar after winning the title. What he shows is simply unbelievable, said the Englishman in an interview. Horner: “Sometimes I sit at the command post and think: Wow, how did Max do that again!” One of the Dutchman’s secrets to success both annoys and inspires the team. “Max is always looking for the last percent he can squeeze out. He will never be satisfied with himself.”

That was also the case on Sunday in Qatar, where Verstappen had the two young McLaren high-flyers Oscar Piastri (22) and Lando Norris (23) in tow when he arrived at the finish line. “The McLarens were very, very fast. That was a tough race,” said the series winner, who was almost five seconds ahead of Piastri at the end. By Verstappen’s standards, that’s surprisingly little. Due to their dominance this year, Red Bull Racing is probably already busy developing the racing vehicle for next season.

“Like in an oven”

While Verstappen seemed somewhat fresh after the race, most of the drivers were completely exhausted on Sunday evening. The heat in the desert state pushed many to their limits – and beyond. “That was far too dangerous,” said Norris. “I thought I was going to faint. It was crazy how hot it was, like an oven,” said George Russell, describing his ride in the Mercedes.

Several pilots received medical treatment for dehydration. Williams apparently had the worst problems because the cockpit heated up additionally for a reason that was not yet known. Alexander Albon had to be medically examined, his teammate Logan Sargeant gave up early due to exhaustion.

Alpine’s Esteban Ocon even vomited in his car. Fernando Alonso even asked his Aston Martin team over the radio whether they could simply pour water over his head during a pit stop. “But that wasn’t allowed,” said the 42-year-old Spaniard: “My seat was burning hot and I had the feeling that my right side would be burned by the heat.”

In 2024, the Grand Prix in Qatar has a “cooler” date: the race takes place on December 1st.