Record-Breaking Season (2023)

Lore & Background

The RB19 is one of the most dominant cars in the history of the Formula One World Championship, winning 21 out of the 22 races (95.45%) it competed in, thereby outperforming the McLaren MP4/4's previous record of winning 15 out of 16 races (93.8%) that had stood since the 1988 F1 season. It has the second highest percentage of laps led in a season at 86.7% (1,149 out of 1,325), behind the MP4/4's 97.3% (1,003 out of 1,031).

In Their Own Story

The sun hammered Silverstone, but inside the cockpit, Max Verstappen felt only a cold, calculating clarity. The RB19 didn't just drive; it breathed with him, a machine so precise it felt like an extension of his own nervous system. As he crossed the line to claim yet another victory, the telemetry in the garage didn't flash warnings or red lines—it glowed with a steady, mocking green. There were no desperate strategy calls to save tires or manage fuel; the car simply possessed more grip than anyone else could even dream of. In the pit lane, the silence was heavier than the roar of the engines, a suffocating quiet where rivals watched their own cars struggle to keep pace against an opponent that seemed to have solved the sport's final puzzle.

Reader's Guide

During preseason testing in Sakhir at the Bahrain International Circuit, the car was immediately proven to be an improvement over its predecessor, the RB18. Pundits noted that the car looked stable, reliable and easy to drive. The car won the opening round in Bahrain with a 1-2 finish, Verstappen winning and Pérez second. In Saudi Arabia, Pérez won and Verstappen finished second, completing another 1-2. In Australia, Verstappen won and Pérez finished fifth. In Azerbaijan, Pérez won the sprint race and the main race, with Verstappen finishing third in the sprint and second in the main race. In Miami, Pérez secured pole position and won the race; Verstappen qualified ninth and finished second.

Did You Know?

• The RB19 won 21 out of 22 races in the 2023 season.
• The car was unveiled in New York City on 3 February 2023.
• The RB19's engine was badged as Honda RBPT.
• The car led 86.7% of all laps in the 2023 season.