TOKYO, Japan, October 8, 2023 – Max Verstappen, driver for Oracle Red Bull Racing, for which Honda is a team partner, clinched his third consecutive drivers’ world championship on Saturday, October 7 local time, by earning enough points in the F1 Sprint^*1 race for the Qatar Grand Prix 2023, the 18th round of the 2023 FIA^*2 Formula One (F1) World Championship.

After this Sprint race, with 6 Grands Prix remaining for the season, including the Qatar Grand Prix race on Sunday local time, Verstappen clinched his title with a total of 13 Grand Prix wins, including 10 straight wins^*3 that set the record for most consecutive wins in the history of F1 racing.

The F1 Sprint is a shorter race - approximately 100km or 62 miles – that takes place on the day before the Grand Prix. The winners are awarded about one-third of the points winners can earn in the Grand Prix.

Fédération Internationale de lʼAutomobile.

Ten consecutive wins from the 5th round Miami Grand Prix to the 15th round Italian Grand Prix (excluding the 6th round Emilia Romagna Grand Prix which was cancelled).

For the 2023 season, as a team partner, Honda has been providing technical support and cooperating in marketing activities with Oracle Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri. As part of the technical support, Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) is manufacturing and supplying all power unit (PU) components except for the ESS^*4 to Red Bull Powertrains^*5 and supporting the operations of the PUs throughout the season. 

Energy Storage System, the battery system that stores recovered electric energy.

A Red Bull Group company that produces F1 power units. For the current version of the PUs, PBPT is responsible for producing and operating the ESS.

As this team partnership continues through the end of the 2025 season, both Oracle Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri are planning to compete in F1 during the next two seasons using machines equipped with a PU, for which Honda will provide technical support. 

“Max, congratulations on your third consecutive Drivers’ Championship! I enjoyed watching your overwhelming performance as champion throughout this season, including the unprecedented 10 straight wins. Since you captured your first drivers’ title two years ago, the best words to describe your performance have been not just ‘fast’ but ‘strong,’ and everyone agrees that winning your third consecutive title was a no doubter. Honda and HRC are proud to be able to support your third consecutive title, and HRC will continue to be dedicated to providing support to you, Max, and both the Oracle Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri race teams while aiming at even greater heights in the future.”

2014
3rd in FIA European Formula 3 Championship

2015
Debut F1 as the youngest F1 driver ever (17 years and 166 days) 12th in Formula One Drivers’ Championship

2016
5th in Formula One Drivers’ Championship First win in Rd.5 Spain marked youngest win in F1 history (18 years and 228 days)

2017
6th in Formula One Drivers’ Championship

2018
4th in Formula One Drivers’ Championship

2019
3rd in Formula One Drivers’ Championship Win in Rd.9 Austria marked 1st win for Honda in Hybrid Era

2020
3rd in Formula One Drivers’ Championship

2021
Formula One World Drivers’ Champion Win the first drivers’ title for Honda for the first time in 30 years since 1991

2022
Formula One World Drivers’ Champion

2023
Formula One World Drivers’ Champion