Michael Schumacher's Record Under Threat as Max Verstappen Closes In on F1 Greats

For decades, Michael Schumacher's name has been synonymous with Formula 1 dominance, and his unparalleled records have served as the benchmark for racing excellence.

Now, a seismic shift is underway. Max Verstappen, the prodigious Dutchman, is not merely winning races; he is systematically dismantling the sport's history.

Verstappen Reaches New Heights in F1 Records

As he rapidly approaches the towering achievements of F1's all-time legends, the question is no longer if a record will fall, but when the greatest mark of all will finally yield.

At the Mexico Grand Prix, Verstappen jumped ahead of Sebastian Vettel, seizing the third spot among Formula 1 drivers for career podium finishes. Securing third place in Mexico City gave the Red Bull Racing star his 123rd career podium.

This achievement meant Verstappen moved past his four-time world champion counterpart, Vettel, securing his place as the third driver with the most top-three finishes in the discipline's past.

Having claimed his first career podium by winning the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, Verstappen also edged nearer to the championship's leading record holders: Lewis Hamilton (202) and Schumacher (155) appearances in the top three.

The Dutch racer also holds a spot just behind the two seven-time world champions on the list for career Grand Prix wins. Crucially, the Mexico City podium was his 10th of the 2025 season, leaving him trailing the McLaren duo — Lando Norris with 15 and Oscar Piastri with 14 — in the intensifying fight for the drivers' title.

Verstappen: 'Perfection' is Essential

Verstappen's view on the 2025 title fight underlined his team's requirement for perfection; he insisted Red Bull Racing needed an error-free run to have a shot at winning the championship.

The 28-year-old, who lost a potential second-place finish in Mexico City due to a late Virtual Safety Car, noted that while the title is still statistically achievable, only a perfect execution from the team will turn that hope into reality.

Lying third in the drivers' standings, the four-time world champion sits 36 points adrift of Norris, who recently took the championship lead.

The emphasis on Red Bull's flawless execution echoes an earlier sentiment from September, when Eddie Irvine drew a parallel between Verstappen and Schumacher, stating the Dutchman has the potential to replicate the German's historic success.

The Schumacher Effect: Irvine's Verdict

According to Irvine, Schumacher's former teammate, Verstappen is capable of replicating Schumacher's success by transforming Ferrari back into an unstoppable force. Irvine suggested that, as Schumacher did, Verstappen could bring key personnel with him, noting a similarity between the team's current position and when Schumacher first arrived.

'Back in my day, you had Michael [Schumacher] come, he was seen as by far the fastest driver', Irvine told Sky Sports F1 in September, according to a report by SI.com. 'Because of that, Rory Byrne came, Ross [Brawn] came, and that whole team was built around the fact that Michael was another world.

'A bit like Verstappen is now, where if Verstappen went somewhere, he could take a lot of people. Without the whole system together, everyone's, you know, at the same level. It's tough, Formula 1's tough.

'Michael gave up a lot, like Michael probably gave up two, three, maybe even more world championships to leave Benetton to go [to Ferrari]. Because the first few years, people have no idea how bad it was at Ferrari.

'Michael, he knew there was no point for him. He was so much better than everyone else. He just decided, "I'm going to go there. I'm going to see what I can do", which was amazing.

'And he got there. But people forget, it took four years. He was always in the vicinity, but it was just that you could see he was driving the wheels off the thing to try and be there. So, it was very easy for it not to happen.'

Legacy or Title: The Next Great Choice

For now, the championship remains mathematically possible. Still, only time will tell if the 28-year-old chooses to focus his unparalleled talent on the long game—a challenge that could see him recreate the Schumacher effect and cement his place among the sport's all-time legends.