Formula 1: A Record-Breaking Race  

With Max Verstappen winning the Formula 1 World Driver Championship in Suzuka, Red Bull was hoping to claim another victory this weekend in Austin, with the Constructors Championship up for grabs. Although the season is drawing to a close and the championship’s pretty much set in stone, let’s review the records that were broken this weekend.  

The US Grand Prix is now the best attended Formula 1 race of the season, with a total of 440,000 spectators visiting over the weekend – overtaking the attendance of last year. Viewership being on the rise is great news for F1 and shows the three races lined up in the states for 2023 should be well supported.  

Max Verstappen has always said he is not interested in beating records, he just wants to win races. However, the young Dutch driver has broken a few this season and the weekend was no different. Max took home his 13^th victory of the season, equalling the likes of Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel for the most race wins in a single season.  

Although Sebastian Vettel is no longer out-front winning races, he did lead the Austin Grand Prix for 1 lap, meaning he upped his total Grand Prix laps led to 3,500, a nice number to end his career on. Throughout his career, Vettel set the standard for so many drivers, so the news of his retirement was sad for many  – but it’s a retirement that has definitely been earned! 

The weekend came to a close with Max Verstappen closely beating 7-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton, meaning that Red Bull could safely claim the 2022 Constructors Championship, their first since 2014. This incredible victory was dedicated to Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz, who sadly passed away a day earlier.  

The weekend showed that Formula 1 still has plenty of life left in it and fans are excited for next season. The success in Austin has shown how fans are committed to travelling to races to support their favourite team.  This all bodes well for next season, with lots of tourism opportunities due to the extended race calendar and new 2023 tracks.  

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