Max Verstappen is currently 25 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri. Following the Grand Prix of Monaco, his deficit to both McLaren drivers has increased, but the reigning world champion continues to accumulate points race after race. Verstappen is well aware that the season is long and sees consistency as the key to a fifth consecutive world title.
Max Verstappen is 25 points behind Oscar Piastri and 22 points behind his teammate Lando Norris. If the reigning world champion wins in Spain and both McLarens fail to finish, he will be level with the championship leader. Verstappen once benefited from the retirement of two teammates battling for the world title during the Grand Prix of Spain, of all places. Both Mercedes ‘bounced off’ – as commentator Olav Mol aptly put it – and the Dutchman drove to his very first victory.
Three victories on Spanish soil and four world titles followed, of which Verstappen did not receive the first two as a gift. In 2021, he won the championship in the last round, and in 2022, he overcame a 47-point deficit to Charles Leclerc. According to Verstappen, this season, in which he can equal Michael Schumacher with five consecutive titles, consistency is the key to success. “You just always try to get the most out of what you have, whether that’s winning races or not. That’s always what you should strive for, be consistent throughout the year without making too many mistakes. That’s always the key,” he told Red Bull’s internal TalkingBull podcast.
Long Season
After his dominant victory in Imola, Verstappen had to settle for fourth place in Monaco. Oscar Piastri finished third and Lando Norris took the victory, thereby increasing the McLaren drivers’ lead in the championship. However, Verstappen is not losing sleep over this. “I think I’d rather be 50 points ahead than 20 behind or whatever. Everyone would prefer that, but of course, that’s not the reality. It’s still a very long season, we wanted to do well in Monaco, and we want to do very well in Barcelona, and that’s how you keep going,” he said. “Imola was a very positive weekend for us. Street circuits are always more hectic and random with the result, but there are still plenty of races left where we can do good work.”
