Team mate Sergio Perez is mathematically closest, and fighting with the same equipment, but the Mexican is already a whopping 99 points behind the double world champion after 10 of 22 races.
After Perez, it was Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso in Monaco, Mercedes's Lewis Hamilton in Spain, Alonso again in Canada, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in Austria and McLaren's Lando Norris in Britain. "So for me, I don't know what's going to happen in Hungary to be honest, who is going to be quick or the second quickest," he added, referring to the next race at Budapest's Hungaroring.
Japan, at the end of September with six races to spare, does not look too outlandish a suggestion at Verstappen's current rate of points accumulation but it could be even earlier if the Mexican has a meltdown. The most dominant season of the modern era so far was Michael Schumacher's 2002 title sealed with Ferrari after 11 of 17 races.