The Verstappen statistic Ferrari must overhaul in 2024

Since Michael Schumacher stepped away from Formula 1 for the firsttime, in 2006, there have been 333 World Championship races, as ofthe 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Ferrari has won 51 of those for astrike rate of 15.31%, with its last title coming in the form ofthe 2008 Constructors', while Kimi Raikkonen remains the last WorldChampion from the Scuderia in 2007. That is 51 wins in 17 seasons,equalling three per year since the former karter from Kerpen wasrather forced out the Maranello exit door. That's certainly arespectable tally, especially when you consider the fact that someof the machines produced will not go down as Maranello's finest,with no wins coming in 2014, 2016, 2020 or 2021. But then we cometo Max Verstappen. Alone, the Dutchman won 19 times in 2023 - thatis the same number as Ferrari has managed since 2017 combined. TheRed Bull driver now sits on 54 career wins - third on the all-timewins list - and has won three more Grands Prix by himself thanRaikkonen, Felipe Massa, Luca Badoer, Giancarlo Fisichella,Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainzhave managed between them since 2007. While Ferrari has done thisin those 333 races, as of Abu Dhabi 2023, Verstappen has made 185starts since his debut at the 2015 Australian Grand Prix, adifference of 148 races. Whilst the Scuderia did not challenge thetitle in 2023, tangible progress was made under new boss FredericVasseur - with the team ending the season strongly and just failingto pip Mercedes to second in the Constructors'. The fact thatVerstappen has been able to rack up 34 wins - two more than theentire career tally of Fernando Alonso - since the start of 2022 isdown to the collective failures of Ferrari and Mercedes, and indeedSergio Perez, to mount a serious challenge as much as it is toVerstappen's relentless ability to churn out wins. While the gap toRed Bull is probably too vast a chasm to close for any team in oneyear to topple it, Ferrari must get back to regular race-winningways in 2024, with it recording more than five wins in a seasononly once since 2010, as the table below shows. Ferrari Grand Prixwins since 2007 Max Verstappen Grand Prix wins since 2015