After a two-week absence, 'GMA' host Michael Strahan returned to his duties on July 31, delighting viewers with two enjoyable food segments

On taking off his seat belt in the Red Bull 2023 juggernaut for the final time on race-day in Abu Dhabi, Max Verstappen took stock. The Dutchman had just coasted to a record-extending 19th victory of the season; his 54th overall, with only Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher ahead of him now in the all-time stakes. For a man whose unflappability has been the defining characteristic of his championship cruise, the three-time world champion admitted to feeling emotional as he waved goodbye to the RB19. “An incredible season – it was a bit emotional on the in-lap,” he said. “The last time sitting in the car that has of course given me a lot.” A lot is an understatement. Pretty much everything is more accurate. Save a strange anomaly in Singapore in September, Verstappen has been on the podium at the end of every race. His 575 points gave him a 290-point margin over second place: team-mate Sergio Perez. If the Mexican’s tally of 285 was doubled, he’d still be five points shy. LIST OF MAX VERSTAPPEN’S 2023 RECORDS - Most wins in a single season – 19 - Most podium finishes in a season – 21 - Highest points total – 575 - Largest championship-winning margin – 290 - First driver to surpass 1,000 laps led in a single season - Only driver to complete every lap in the 2023 season - Highest win percentage in F1 history – 86.3% He also became the first driver ever to surpass 1,000 laps led in a single season, while his Abu Dhabi victory meant he was the only driver on the grid to complete every lap in 2023. In fact, he has not endured a retirement since Australia last April. The sheer supremacy and dismissal of the opposition – both across the garage and the other nine teams, flailing in his wake – has been ruthless. There has been no let-up. Yet the ultimate indication that this was the most dominant season in F1’s 73-year history is best represented (in a time where podiums and race wins are incomparable due to the current record-breaking calendar) by his win-percentage. Nineteen out of 22 gives him 86.3%. The previous record had held for over 70 years: Alberto Ascari’s 75% in 1952, when he won six of eight races. It makes Verstappen’s 2023 campaign, statistically, the best-ever by some distance. The 26-year-old – whose calculated in-race menace and over-eagerness of his early 20s looks a thing of the past – has set the new benchmark, far beyond the likes of Fangio, Schumacher and Hamilton. Formula 1 has never seen the like before. In Verstappen’s own words: “It will be hard to do something similar again.” But where does it rank in the all-time great sporting seasons? A comparison in this respect is difficult, by virtue of different sports placing different emphasis on different competitions, with the weight of team vs individual at play too. Nonetheless, speculating is fun: we’ll give it a go. Immediate standouts include Tiger Woods’ 2000 season, where he stormed to three of the four majors and nine out of 20 PGA Tour wins. Novak Djokovic – take your pick – has a quadruple of hat-trick major glory in 2011, 2015, 2021 and 2023, while Roger Federer’s 2006 saw him lose to just two players (Rafael Nadal and a young Andy Murray). But even then, Verstappen is superior in the numbers game. Woods entered 20 tournaments in 2000, winning nine to give him a 45% win ratio. Of course, golf has a bigger playing field and is prone to more random winners (and just how F1 would value a bit more uncertainty right now for the sporting product). But still, that’s the facts. Federer played 17 tournaments in 2006, winning 12 of them. The Swiss maestro is closer, with a 70.6% win percentage in tournaments played. He has Rafael Nadal to thank for it not being near-perfect, with four of those five losses at the hands of the Spaniard. Djokovic’s best season for titles was 2015, when he won 11 from 16 tournaments played – 68.75%. Serena Williams had an identical 11/16 titles record in 2013. Still, some way short of Verstappen. In recent years in European football, Barcelona’s treble-winning season in 2014-15 was super impressive. Lionel Messi and co. played 61 matches, winning 51 of them. That gives them 83.6% across the course of the season. Staggering, really. Manchester City’s treble last year came in at 73.77% of matches won, with their 2017-18 100-point season statistically better at 80.7%. Across the Atlantic, only two NBA teams have ever recorded win percentages higher than Verstappen’s: Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls in 1995-96 and Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors in 2015-16. The 1972 Miami Dolphins are the only team ever to complete a perfect NFL season, with Tom Brady’s New England Patriots coming close in 2007 before falling at the final Super Bowl hurdle. We could go on and on. Blatantly, different sports have different barometers of success. Different competitions and tournaments have different significance depending on prestige and ranking points, unlike F1 where points are identical for each race. But what this very basic overview does show is that Verstappen in 2023 is very much in the conversation. It still feels as though the Dutchman’s achievements this year are viewed through quite a narrow prism. “It’s all about the car,” says Joe Bloggs, with a Mercedes cap on. Sure, the RB19 is one of the greatest cars in F1 history and has a monumental impact. But Perez’s topsy-turvy season in identical machinery shows there is more to Red Bull’s success than the machine. It needs to be armed and steered by capable hands. Verstappen has barely made a mistake all season. His year of dominance will be looked back on in years to come, similar to the Schumacher reign at the start of the 2000s. It’s now about how big Verstappen’s legacy will be. How many titles can he win in a row? Can he get up to Schumacher and Hamilton’s record of seven? And how many races can he continue to win, with a brash sense of ease and control, along the way? Read More F1 fans spark chaos with brawl at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix IndyCar champion admits breaching McLaren contract in £18m lawsuit over F1 seat Lando Norris slams Sergio Perez after collision: ‘It’s nothing new’ Williams boss refuses to confirm Logan Sargeant’s seat for 2024 F1 2023 season report card: Red Bull flourish but what about Mercedes and Ferrari? Toto Wolff sees ‘Mount Everest’ ahead as Mercedes seek to end Red Bull’s domination

Sweet and smokey, melt off the bone BBQ pork ribs and a zingy, Asian-style slaw are this week’s match made in heaven. Ideal for family get togethers and al fresco dining, this showstopper summer dish requires zero-fuss cooking. Serve with cold beers and pitta breads to mop up the goodness. BBQ pork ribs and slaw Serves: 4 Ingredients: 800g BBQ pork ribs 1 tbsp hoisin sauce (optional) For the slaw: 2 carrots, peeled into ribbons ¼ red cabbage, shredded ½ fennel bulb, finely sliced ½ red chilli, deseeded and finely diced 1 tbsp root ginger, grated 2 tbsp sauerkraut 2 tbsp hot lemon sauce 2 tbsp chopped coriander Method: To cook the pork ribs, wrap them in tin foil and bake them in the oven at 150C for 1-1.5 hours, or if you have a BBQ, use that! Remove them from the tin foil and increase the temperature of your grill to 200C. Grill for 15-20 mins, basting regularly with the remaining BBQ marinade (and hoisin sauce, if you’re using it). To prepare the slaw, peel your carrots into ribbons and toss them in a large bowl with the shredded red cabbage, finely sliced fennel, and sauerkraut. Add in the grated root ginger, chopped red chilli and coriander. Instead of mayonnaise, try adding hot lemon sauce to your slaw for a zingy, spiced version. Mix well and season to taste, then serve alongside your BBQ ribs. Read More Five dinner ideas from around the world to try this week Hi Barbie! Nine cocktails inspired by the doll’s most iconic outfits The National Portrait Gallery’s new restaurant is fabulous upgrade Three barbecue recipes to try that aren’t burgers The dish that defines me: Alex Outhwaite’s Vietnamese bun cha 3 TikTok-approved recipes for picnic season

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Max Verstappen has criticised the “99% show, 1% sporting event” nature of this weekend’s inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix and lambasted Wednesday’s opening ceremony. F1 is returning to Vegas for the first time in more than 40 years with a new street circuit, with F1 themselves promoting the event and building a new pit building to the tune of $500m. But three-time world champion Verstappen, who was among the 20 drivers dramatically introduced to the crowd during Wednesday’s lavish opening ceremony via a lift onto a string of podiums, did not pull any punches about the spectacle of the event in Sin City. “I don’t like all the things around it,” said the Red Bull driver. “I’m looking forward to trying to do the best I can but I’m not looking forward to this. “For me you can skip these kind of things. It’s just standing up there, you look like a clown. “I fully understand and you can look at it two ways, business side or sport side. So, of course, I understand their side of it. “I’m just voicing my opinion on the performance side of things.” Wednesday’s opening ceremony started with spectacular drone sequences, preceding a number of performances from artists such as Kylie Minogue, John Legend and Tiesto. All 20 drivers then briefly appeared to rapturous applause from the crowd in the grandstands. Read More F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix LIVE: Opening ceremony updates and news Lewis Hamilton makes F1 ‘circus’ plea after backlash from Las Vegas locals Celebrities and sponsors descend on Las Vegas as F1 returns to Sin City