Verstappen could join a very exclusive group of drivers in F1 2022

Ascari and Brabham succeeded in the early years of F1

Retaining a world title is something that happens regularly in Formula 1, but defending your first world title successfully somehow seems to be just that little bit harder. Since the creation of the official Formula One championship, only seven drivers have managed to prolong their first title. The very first of these drivers was Alberto Ascari. He won his first title in 1952 and managed to become champion again the following year with his Ferrari.

A few years later, Australian Jack Brabham followed in Ascari's footsteps. The driver who drove for Cooper at the time grabbed his first two world championships in consecutive years in 1959 and 1960.

Years of waiting for two titles in a row

After Brabham, Formula One had to wait 26 years for a driver to directly prolong his first title. The 60s, 70s and early 80s proved to be very competitive years with many different drivers becoming champions and just not managing to become champions twice in a row. Alain Prost managed to do so in 1986, after he had won his first title with McLaren in 1985.

Just under ten years later, Michael Schumacher won his first two world titles in consecutive years with Benetton, namely 1995 and 1996. Mika Hakkinen managed to prolong his first title with McLaren not much later as well in 1999.

Not even Hamilton managed it

Since the year 2000, it has only been Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel who were able to successfully defend their first world title. Alonso became world champion with Renault in 2005 and 2006. Vettel has an absolute record, he managed to retain not only his first title, but also his second and third with the very successful cars of Red Bull Racing.

It will be a very difficult task for Verstappen because as history shows, not many drivers have managed it. Even big names like Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Ayrton Senna and Lewis Hamilton didn't manage it.

New rules make it more difficult for Verstappen

On top of that, Verstappen and his competitors are facing one of the biggest rule changes Formula 1 has ever seen. Alonso himself is the only driver to have prolonged his title with a major rule change. Indeed, in 2006, the V10 engines were replaced for V8 engines. The change Verstappen faces seems even bigger. The RB18 is a completely different car than the RB16B that Verstappen became champion with in 2021. It could just be that a team like McLaren or Ferrari has built a very strong car.

Retaining a first world title is certainly not impossible, but history shows that it is a very difficult task. A task that not even the greatest in the sport were able to complete. If Verstappen does succeed, he will join the ranks of a very special group of drivers.