Max Verstappen has stated that his interest in Formula 1 has always remained constant, even during Red Bull’s apparent slump in form over the summer. He contradicts top advisor Helmut Marko, who claimed that Verstappen was lacking motivation during that period. The four-time world champion had previously conceded defeat, stating that he would not win any more races that year. However, given his team’s recent resurgence, he is once again in contention for a fifth title.
With three victories in the last four Grands Prix, Max Verstappen has steadily closed the gap on World Championship leader Oscar Piastri. The difference between the two stands at just 40 points ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix. Speaking to the media at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, he emphasized that he still has the potential to clinch the championship. According to Helmut Marko, this motivation was hard to find a few months ago. The Austrian stated that Verstappen had ‘lost a bit of interest’ and was ‘more interested in GT races’.
When asked if he agreed with Marko’s comments, Verstappen replied: “No, I do not. Of course, it’s more enjoyable to approach race weekends this way – knowing that you have a chance to win,” he explained. “But for myself, I know that when I’m in the car, I will always try to get the most out of it. Even if I’m fighting for P4 or even P9, I want to give it my all.” And what about his adventures in GT racing? “Those have been planned for a long time,” he said.
‘Positive Pressure’
Verstappen has five more Grands Prix – including two sprint weekends – to make up for the deficit to Piastri. While the latter seemed to buckle under pressure in recent weeks, the Dutchman explains that he thrives amidst ‘positive pressure’. “Of course you want to win,” he continued. “I’ve won titles before, both very late in the season and very early. But this one is really different, because most of the season has been really tough for us.”
“That’s why I find it quite surprising that we’re still in contention for the title,” Verstappen added. “Of course, I’m up for the challenge. As I’ve said before, everything has to go perfectly now. For me, that just means positive pressure. We can’t afford any bad luck or mistakes. But the team has proven in the past to usually perform well under pressure, and we’re going to try to do that until the last race.”
