Max Verstappen is poised to finish his stellar season with two more records in Abu Dhabi as well as a third world title.
If the Dutchman triumphs again at Yas Marina Circuit, he will become the first driver to have won 19 races in a single season, with an overall tally of 54.
That will lift him above four-time champion Sebastian Vettel to third in the all-time list, chasing only Michael Schumacher (91 wins) and Lewis Hamilton (103).
But arguably even more impressive is the conquering of another statistic that has stood for 60 years.
That is the benchmark of most time spent at the front of the field set by Jim Clark when he obliterated his rivals as he roared to the 1963 crown.
But the statistics are as much a reflection of the Dutchmanâs robot-like consistency as the lack of competition he has faced from his rivals and teammate Sergio Perez, who has won just twice in the same car.
The laps led statistics may appear one that is solely for hardcore fans, but it is the best barometer of real success.
It has stood the test of time and defied even the greatest drivers from Ayrton Senna and Schumacher to Alain Prost and Jackie Stewart, even in their pomp with superior machinery.
It even eluded Hamilton when he won pretty much as he pleased between 2014 and 2021, 2016 excluded.
And even with all the records tumbling, Red Bullâs veteran rival said such easy domination begins to pall if you get so much of it.
âWhen you have so much success, no matter how hard you try itâs hard to keep things in perspective,â said the seven-time champion Hamilton.
âI even hear it in Christian Hornerâs voice when Max wins, he doesnât know what to say. Heâs like: âHere we go again. Good job, Max. Good jobâ.
âThe excitement goes, but when you first get that win itâs amazing. But if you have it all the time [itâs not the same]."
Despite their rivalry, the Mercedes ace has been full of admiration for the Dutchmanâs unending domination while he dreams of ending his own 722 days outside the winnerâs circle.
âOf course, I want to win again. When we do, the feeling is going to be even greater because everyoneâs struggled,â Hamilton added.
And the driver hogging the headlines is not bothered if some fans are getting fed-up with the one-man show.
âTo be honest I donât care at all,â Verstappen said recently. âI just do my thing.â
âIt depends if youâre the person who dominates or not. If youâre not itâs not so nice but if you are itâs a beautiful thing.
âAs an athlete you do everything you can to win and if you get the chance, then you do everything you can it keep it going for as long as possible.
âIf you are not a fan of that person then you find it less exciting. Some people canât appreciate dominance or donât want to.â
Clarkâs long-standing record is one of the most telling markers of true sporting superiority. He led 71.47 per cent of all the laps raced that year.
Verstappen, though, has led 75.06 per cent of laps so far, which is, arguably, more impressive because he will have contested twice as many races, 22 GPs to Clarkâs 10.
Clark led 506 of the 708 laps raced while the Red Bull racer has, so far, led 951 of 1,267.
Incredibly, it has been almost two years and 40 GPs since the Dutchman last finished out of the points, in Australia 2022.
For Verstappen, like the rest, Abu Dhabi is the final, star-studded, stop of a demanding schedule across five continents and 20 countries since March.
This weekâs 8,000-mile dash from Las Vegas to Abu Dhabi ends an exhausting five races in six weekends, across three continents.
To have a chance of being even partially recovered for Fridayâs practice, drivers leapt on the gruelling 16-hour flight from Las Vegas before the engines had finished cooling from Saturday nightâs race.
But the 12-hour time difference meant they have to battle jet lag through the shortest recovery period of their careers.
Verstappen admitted the only way to cope was to get plenty of sleep on the flight, play some sport when he landed and âkeep busyâ.
Hamilton will be among those getting a welcome few extra hours in bed because his car will be occupied for Fridayâs first hour of action by Dane Frederik Vesti, 21.
