Funny statistic: This is how many kilometres Verstappen led in 2022

Max Verstappen had a great year in capturing his second world title. Never before had an F1 driver taken 15 victories in a season. Moreover, he achieved the astronomical points tally of 454, well over the old record from Lewis Hamilton.

Formula 1 loves statistics. The F1 website has therefore now mde a list expressing Verstappen's success in numbers. Besides the already known data, the site's editors have found something remarkable. The champion drove 3,164 kilometres in the lead of Grands Prix this season. The Netherlands has a circumference of 1,478 kilometres, so by comparison Verstappen has driven around the country twice at the head of a race. He then had a few hundred kilometres left, which he also drove first.

All these kilometres in the lead amounted to 616 laps. That was 305 more than the driver with the second most, Charles Leclerc. This puts him seventh in the list of most laps in the lead in a season. Perhaps it is unexpected, but in 2021 Verstappen drove more laps in the lead. Back then, he completed 652 laps at the front.

Verstappen will be in action once more this season, although he will not be competing. On Sunday, the Dutchman will do a demo run in Japan, in honour of the Honda Racing Thank Day. Sergio Perez, Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda will also be in action then.