2024-11-24 22:28:00
Max Verstappen won an incredible 19 races last season, including 10 in a row, in what is considered one of the best years in Formula One history.
However, Verstappen sees this year’s season with eight wins, his lowest win total since 2020. Those eight wins were enough to secure his fourth consecutive F1 title with solid driving skills at Saturday night’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.
He only needed to finish ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris to seal the title with two races remaining in the season, and he did so in fifth place at a time when Red Bull’s dominance was hampered by It was what he needed in a year of testing.
This victory makes Verstappen the sixth driver in F1 history to win four or more championships, joining all-time greats Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Alain Prost, Sebastian Vettel and Juan Manuel Fangio are on the list.
At the start of the year, Verstappen had won seven of the first 10 races and was far ahead in the driver’s standings. But a seventh victory came in June, and with the race eclipsing Red Bull’s, Verstappen found himself on a ten-race winless streak while Norris squeezed into the championship lead.
He turned things around when he recovered in Brazil earlier this month and recorded his first win in months. That’s why Verstappen insists this will be remembered as one of his best seasons.
“Of course. I mean, it’s been a very challenging season,” the 27-year-old Dutchman said. “I think as a human being, it’s very challenging at times and I have to keep my cool. Of course, I think in some ways I still prefer last season. “I really enjoyed that. “
“But I think this season has definitely taught me a lot of lessons again that I’m very proud of. How we handle it as a team. Of course, in some ways, that also makes it a very, very special and beautiful season. I would say 70 percent of the season we didn’t have the fastest car but we actually still extended our lead. “So that’s definitely something I’m very proud of,” he added.
For Verstappen, his approach is so unique that any issue related to the team’s performance, his personal life or anything non-racing related is erased every time he takes the seat of a Red Bull. The team was rocked when Red Bull boss Christian Horner was investigated over allegations of inappropriate behavior towards a female employee, and Verstappen’s father Jos appears to be working tirelessly to remove Horner from the leader’s position Get rid of it.
Other key executives have also left, even with Verstappen winning early in the season and Verstappen having to show his mettle every race weekend.
“It was quite, let’s say, a little chaotic at first, but I think I’m pretty calm in these situations,” he said. “I think it’s hard to let anything upset me. I’m very focused on the racing aspect. I know when I’m in the car I forget about everything, even the positive and negative things. I just focus on what’s in front of me. The thing, that’s performance and driving the car as fast as possible.
How long Verstappen can maintain this pace remains uncertain.
He’s clear that he doesn’t want a career that spans decades, and while he loves nothing more than winning, that won’t always satisfy him.
“I think every year in your life you have the thought of, ‘How much longer do I want to do this?’ Where do I want to do this? How do I want to do it? ‘Of course, in your There’s always something going on in your personal life that you have to deal with and think about in your racing life.
“It’s very important to keep your personal life and your racing life separate. But it’s okay to have these ideas in your head about what you want to do. But at the same time, I’m not someone who makes very big decisions at the same time. I think about myself I’m very happy where I am now,” he said. “If you’re not happy, there’s no point in continuing.
He has won four championships in 10 years in F1 and could theoretically one day break the record of seven titles shared by Hamilton and Schumacher. But that requires a long-term commitment and Verstappen doesn’t want to race in his 40s at this stage.
“I want to win 10 more championships, but I know that in 10 years I won’t be racing in Formula One again,” Verstappen concluded before going for another alcoholic drink. After a beer, champagne celebration and a double-wielding of gin and tonics, Verstappen prepared to celebrate becoming Sin City’s biggest star for the second year running.
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This story was translated from English by AP editors with the help of generated artificial intelligence tools.
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**Interview with Max Verstappen: Reflecting on a Season of Challenges and Triumphs**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us, Max. Congratulations on securing your fourth consecutive Formula One world championship! It’s been quite an eventful season for you. How do you feel looking back on it?
**Max Verstappen:** Thank you! It’s definitely a season I won’t forget anytime soon. While I won fewer races than last year—just eight compared to 19 last season—I’ve learned a lot from the challenges we’ve faced as a team. Securing the title at the Las Vegas Grand Prix was a significant moment, especially given the circumstances we had to navigate throughout the year.
**Interviewer:** You mentioned challenges. It seems like there was a turning point mid-season when you faced a ten-race winless streak. Can you talk about how you managed to regain momentum?
**Max Verstappen:** Absolutely. It was tough, especially after starting the season so strong and winning seven of the first ten races. After June, things changed for us, and it felt like we were just trying to catch up. But when I won again in Brazil, it rekindled my confidence. I think it showed that resilience is crucial in this sport. We didn’t have the fastest car for a lot of the season, but we worked together as a team to extend our lead in the standings.
**Interviewer:** It sounds like teamwork has played a critical role. How did you handle the internal pressures within Red Bull, especially with all the controversies surrounding the team?
**Max Verstappen:** It was quite chaotic at times, and I had to stay focused on my racing. I try not to let outside issues disrupt my performance. When I’m in the car, I forget about everything else, whether it’s positive or negative. It’s all about racing for me, and I think staying calm under pressure contributed to our success this season.
**Interviewer:** You placed fifth in your title-sealing race, which was a strategic finish rather than a winning one. How did you approach that race differently?
**Max Verstappen:** In that race, it was crucial for me simply to finish ahead of Lando Norris. I had to approach it with a tactical mindset. Knowing what was at stake, I prioritized consistency and making smart decisions over taking unnecessary risks. In a way, it was a different kind of challenge, but it ultimately paid off.
**Interviewer:** reflecting on your journey, how does this season compare to your previous ones?
**Max Verstappen:** While I enjoyed last season immensely due to the sheer number of wins, this year has been educational. It taught me patience and the importance of teamwork—lessons I’ll carry with me in future seasons. Every year is unique, and this one has its own special place because of what we overcame together as a team.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Max, for sharing your insights. Best of luck in the upcoming races!
**Max Verstappen:** Thank you! I’m looking forward to finishing strong this season.
