Verstappen breaks Alonso record despite penalty in Barcelona!

Verstappen breaks Alonso record despite penalty in Barcelona!

Max Verstappen had a challenging weekend at the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix, marred by a ten-second penalty for a collision with George Russell. Despite these setbacks, the Oracle Red Bull Racing driver was able to set a remarkable record: he finished the race in 10th place, which was also the 42nd time in a row that he had finished ahead of his teammate. This record surpasses the previous record set by Fernando Alonso, who finished ahead of his teammate 41 times in a row between the 2011 Turkish Grand Prix and the 2013 race in Japan laola1.at reports.

Despite the penalty, Verstappen also found a reason to be happy despite returning to tenth place: he remains unbeaten against his teammates since Sergio Perez's last victory at the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. This series only counts races in which both of the team's drivers have finished the race. Yuki Tsunoda, Verstappen's teammate, finished 13th in the same race, underlining the magnitude of Verstappen's achievement sport.sky.de added.

Verstappen's record run

Verstappen's record is particularly notable as he has been consistently competitive throughout his career. He has been active in the top tier of motorsport since his Formula 1 debut at the 2015 Australian Grand Prix and has quickly made a name for himself by winning his first world title back in 2021. In total, Verstappen has won four world titles (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) and is known for his ability to finish races ahead of his teammates.

His first victory in the Formula 1 circus came at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix and since then he has fought his way to a place among the best drivers in history at a record-breaking pace. According to Wikipedia, Verstappen has led the most laps in a season with 1003 laps and the most kilometers in the lead in a season with 4914 kilometers.

The meaning of success

Verstappen's achievement goes beyond individual records as it also has a significant impact on the Oracle Red Bull Racing team. His consistency and ability to finish races strengthens the team’s position in the Constructor’s Championship. The previous record of Fernando Alonso, whose 41 consecutive finishes ahead of a teammate seemed a not-so-distant goal, also shows how exceptional Verstappen's performance is in modern Formula 1.

The motorsport world is watching eagerly to see whether Verstappen can continue his impressive series and perhaps even set new records. Given his previous successes and the stability he has shown in recent years, the undoubted champion is much more than just a candidate for future top performances in Formula 1.