Ranked: Max Verstappen's 10 best F1 race wins

10 years on from Max Verstappen's first Formula 1 victory at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, Crash.net looks back at some of the Dutchman's greatest successes. 

In the decade following his initial success, Verstappen has added 70 further grand prix wins to his CV - not to mention four world titles. 

But which wins stand out from the rest? Here is our ranking of Verstappen's top 10 F1 victories.

10. 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

A controversial selection, but given the pressure that was on both Lewis Hamilton and Verstappen going into what was essentially a championship shoot-out, no list of the Dutchman’s top wins would be complete without this entry.

Yes, Hamilton and Mercedes were on course for a near-certain success before Nicholas Latifi put his Williams in the wall and triggered the much debated scenario that followed.

But through the chaos and outside noise, Verstappen still had to get the job done to claim his maiden title against a driver regarded by many as the greatest ever. Criticise the wider situation by all means, but not Verstappen.

9. 2021 French Grand Prix

The 2021 French Grand Prix was a battle of strategy, with Mercedes running both Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas on a one-stop plan, while Red Bull opted for two stops. With following and passing difficult, Verstappen needed to keep the lap time delta up over his rivals, to close the gap and eventually, make his move.

On lap 44 of 53, task one was complete, as Bottas fell to the Dutchman through a superb switchback move. But it would take until the penultimate lap for the victory to be secured, as Verstappen cruised up to the back of Hamilton, and slipped through at the Chicane Nord.

Not the flashiest of wins, but this was certainly a tense one. 

8. 2019 Austrian Grand Prix

This entry is somewhat of an oddity, in that it was a disastrous start from the front row, that put Verstappen back into the midfield, and required an incredible fightback to win out.

Making full use of the DRS and heavy braking zones that characterise the Red Bull Ring, Verstappen made a series of dramatic lunges, stopping his car on the apex and completing, what would be referred to in motorcycle racing,  block pass after block pass.

By far the toughest customer was Charles Leclerc, who defended as aggressively as Verstappen was in attack, but three laps before the end, and with a little hip and shoulder, the comeback was complete. 

7. 2023 Miami Grand Prix

Like “playing the F1 PlayStation game set to easy”. That was how commentator Alex Jaques described Verstappen’s performance in the 2024 Miami race as he cruised into the podium places on lap nine of 57.

Verstappen had started from ninth on the grid, but made light work of his rivals, with the highlight his simultaneous dispatching of Kevin Magnussen and Charles Leclerc in a three-wide move at Turn 1.

Unlike some other races, when he came to pass team-mate Sergio Perez for the lead in the closing stages, the Mexican did not simply move aside, but made the Dutchman work hard for the position. In the most successful F1 car of all-time, this was man and machine in perfect harmony.

6. 2025 Japanese Grand Prix

Just as Mercedes had dominated the start of the 2016 season, 2025 saw McLaren leading the way, with Red Bull severely on the back foot. But in Japan, as Red Bull marked a final home grand prix with engine partner Honda, Verstappen showed his strongest qualities.

Starting from pole, Verstappen faced his biggest challenge on the pit exit, standing his ground as Norris – who had enjoyed a faster stop – attempted to force his way past, and ended up with two wheels on the grass. 

5. 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix

This victory may rank more highly in other lists, but while the drive from 17th on the grid in treacherous conditions undoubtedly remains one of Verstappen’s best, we could not put this any higher, given the fact that without a red flag falling moments after leaders George Russell and Lando Norris had pitted for full wet tyres, it is unlikely – although not impossible – that the Red Bull man would have made it to the front.

In second after the restart, behind only Esteban Ocon’s Alpine, Verstappen was untouchable, establishing a 19.477s lead by the chequered flag, with title rival Norris over half a minute back, in sixth place.

4. 2016 Spanish Grand Prix

You never forget your first, as the saying goes, and what a first this was for Verstappen. In a season dominated by Mercedes, the Dutchman took full advantage of a lap 1 collision of Hamilton and Nico Rosberg in Barcelona, to top the podium for the first time. Given this was also his Red Bull debut, this success goes up another notch.

This wasn’t a straightforward race either, with Ferrari drivers Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen pressuring Verstappen throughout. Victory saw the Red Bull man break records previously held by Vettel to become the youngest winner, and the youngest driver to score a podium finish. 

3. 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix

Another battle for victory with Hamilton. Verstappen was the pole sitter but lost the lead after his Mercedes rival made the undercut work, with Red Bull’s sub-two second effort hampered by an unsafe release of Robert Kubica from Williams.

Fired up and on a charge, the Dutchman swallowed up ground on Hamilton, and after following the Mercedes driver past Charles Leclerc, he dove to the inside at Turn 1 on lap 23, to regain the net race lead.

Verstappen stopped for a second time on lap 55 during a Safety Car period, with Hamilton instructed to do the opposite, so remained out on the track but gained track position. However, with Verstappen dropping only one position and on fresher tyres, it took just one corner for the positions to be reversed once more. 

2. 2021 United States Grand Prix

In the heat of perhaps the most fierce championship battle of all time, Verstappen and Hamilton went toe to toe in modern classic. Starting from pole position, Verstappen lost the lead to Hamilton on the run to Turn 1, and would have dropped to third, had it not been for Sergio Perez holding back against his Red Bull team-mate.

Taking the lead by way of the undercut, Verstappen pitted for a second time on lap 30 of 56, while Hamilton stopped eight laps later. With a severe tyre deficit, Red Bull watched on as Hamilton closed rapidly on the Dutchman.

Lapped traffic failing to move out of the way did nothing to help Verstappen’s cause, with Hamilton beginning the final lap just 0.8s behind. Ultimately, Hamilton fell agonisingly short, but in a battle of high tension, this was a race of high class.

1. 2022 Belgian Grand Prix

Starting in 14th place on the grid, Verstappen assumed the race lead on lap 12 and never looked back. Scything through the field, this was Verstappen at his absolute best. In equal machinery, it is unlikely that any driver could have stopped the Dutchman, but in the RB18, no one stood a chance.

There simply are no more notes. Utter dominance, and a “simply lovely” performance.