Max Verstappen challenges curse of fifth consecutive title: only Michael Schumacher has done it. Max Verstappen challenges curse of fifth consecutive F1 title.

Chasing the five-in-a-row
In the 2025 Formula 1 season, which many predict could be one of the most competitive ever, Max Verstappen will continue his pursuit of some of Formula 1’s historic records. His primary goal will be to defend his world title for the fifth consecutive year. If he succeeds, he would join Michael Schumacher as the only driver in F1 history to achieve this feat. The Ferrari legend dominated from 2000 to 2004, breaking a historic barrier that had never been reached before and has not been equaled since.

Before Max Verstappen—and aside from Michael Schumacher—only Juan Manuel Fangio, Sebastian Vettel, and Lewis Hamilton have managed to win four consecutive titles. However, none of them completed the five-in-a-row. Fangio was champion from 1954 to 1957 but retired from racing during the 1958 season, competing in only two of the 11 races that year, in Argentina and France.

Sebastian Vettel’s downfall and Lewis Hamilton’s near-miss
In 2014, at the start of the hybrid era, Sebastian Vettel attempted to defend his title after winning four consecutive championships from 2010 to 2013. However, his final season with Red Bull was a complete disaster, ending without a single victory. The most recent driver to attempt and fail to secure a fifth straight title was Lewis Hamilton, who was defeated by Max Verstappen in the controversial 2021 season finale after dominating from 2017 to 2020.

If Max Verstappen were to claim his fifth consecutive title, he would do so at the age of 28—seven years younger than Schumacher, who won his final championship seven months after turning 35.