Verstappen takes record away from Hamilton with unique Grand Slam in Imola

Max Verstappen has created a new record in Formula 1 with his Grand Slam. Never before has a Formula 1 driver scored more than thirty points in a weekend and the Dutchman's performance will not be improved upon any time soon.

In 2021, Formula 1 introduced a race weekend with a sprint race on Saturday for the first time. This moved qualifying to Friday and the result of the Sprint became the starting order for the race on Sunday. The top three of that Sprint also received points, namely 3, 2 and 1. However, in that season no driver scored the maximum number of points.

Grand Slam in Imola

In Britain, Hamilton did break the record for the most points in one race weekend, as he scored not only a win in the main race but also a two points with his second place in the sprint race. This brought him to a total of 27 points.

The maximum number of 29 points was not reached in 2021. In all three weekends with a sprint race, there was no one who won both the sprint race, the race and also managed to take the point for the fastest lap.

Record for Verstappen

In 2022, the chance for a new points record is increased. The amount of points for a sprint race has been increased, so that the winner of that sprint race receives eight points. As a result, a maximum of 34 points can now be earned in a sprint race weekend.

That maximum number of points was already achieved by Verstappen in the first weekend with a sprint race in Imola. The Dutchman even added a pole, but does not receive an extra point for achieving that ultimate Grand Slam. He does, however, go down in the books (for now) as the driver who scored the most points in one race weekend. In 2022 nobody can break that, only match it. Verstappen is also the only driver ever to have won a Grand Slam with a qualifying, a race and a sprint race in one weekend.