Max Verstappen equals Sebastian Vettel record with ninth straight F1 win - ESPN

ZANDVOORT, Netherlands — Max Verstappen claimed a ninth straight Formula One victory at the Dutch Grand Prix to match the record set by Sebastian Vettel in 2013.

Verstappen overcame two heavy rain showers either end of the event and a 45-minute red flag delay to win in front of his home crowd, moving him closer to a third consecutive championship.

The Dutchman leads Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez by 138 points and is on course to wrap up the title at the Qatar Grand Prix in early October.

Verstappen has won every race since May's Miami Grand Prix and he can move clear Vettel's record if he wins the Italian Grand Prix next week, on Sep. 3.

Vettel, who retired at the end of 2022, messaged Verstappen earlier this year to support his quest to break the record, which the German also did while driving for Red Bull.

Formula One is currently witnessing record-shattering form from Verstappen, who became the sport's youngest race winner at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, aged 18.

He has won 11 of the 13 races so far this year, with Perez claiming the other two.

Verstappen is currently set to surpass the 15 wins he claimed last year, eclipsing the previous record for a single season of 13 held jointly by Vettel and Michael Schumacher.

Earlier this year Verstappen moved past Ayrton Senna's 41 victories to place himself fifth on the all-time list.

He's now up to 46 with his Dutch Grand Prix triumph, with Alain Prost's career tally of 51 the next in his sights.

Should Verstappen's streak go until the end of the year, he would also pass Vettel's tally of 53.

He would then be third behind Michael Schumacher's 91 and Lewis Hamilton's 103.

Verstappen's Zandvoort win means Red Bull is still on course for the first ever unbeaten season in