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As Formula 1 officially bids farewell to the ground-effect era, the history books will record it as a period of near-total colonization by Max Verstappen. With the sport transitioning to narrower cars designed for closer wheel-to-wheel combat, statisticians have begun deconstructing just how dominant the Dutchman was over the last four years.
The King of Consistency
While Verstappen’s win counts often grab the headlines, his qualifying record during the ground-effect years (2022-2025) is arguably more impressive. Out of 92 races held in this era, Verstappen successfully reached Q3 a staggering 88 times. This gives him a qualifying consistency percentage of 95.6%, comfortably clear of his nearest rivals.
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Charles Leclerc followed in second place, reaching the final stage of qualifying 85 times (92.4%), while George Russell secured the third spot with 83 appearances (90.2%). The statistics reinforce the notion that Verstappen wasn't just the fastest driver on the grid, but also the one least prone to error or mechanical misfortune on a Saturday.
Why Saturday Mattered
The importance of these statistics is heightened by the nature of ground-effect cars. Due to the high levels of "dirty air" and turbulence they produced, following another car closely often led to rapid tyre degradation, making overtaking significantly more difficult than intended. This meant that starting at the front was more than just an advantage; it was often the deciding factor in the race result. F1 organizers hope the new, narrower 2026-spec cars will finally break this trend and allow for the close-quarters racing fans have been waiting for.
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