Max Verstappen pulls back the curtain on what went through his mind after he secured his 4th title in Las Vegas
Max Verstappen has opened up on the moments that followed his fourth F1 title in Las Vegas this season. The driver said he felt relieved because, at times in 2024, the Red Bull car was not at its best, in terms of handling.
The 2024 F1 season was not as straightforward for Verstappen as the previous one, when Red Bull lost just one race in the entire season. The Dutchman started the season well, but after the Miami upgrade from McLaren, things began to change as Red Bull struggled to be competitive at the front of the grid.
This turned the tide in the championship, as Max Verstappen had to course-correct to a large extent. He had to change his approach from attacking every race trying to win it and instead had to work on extracting the best possible result from the car and holding on to his lead. The pressure peaked in the second half of the season when there were multiple races where Verstappen went too far for some in his defense against Lando Norris.
It all came to a head in the race in Brazil, where wet weather conditions worked for the Dutch driver as he pulled off the win and secured the title. Talking this week, Verstappen said that after the race there was a sense of relief considering the car he'd had at different points of the season. He said (via Viaplay),
"When you cross the line and become champion, the entire season flashes before your eyes. I was also happy it was finally done. We had a lot of tough races and moments where the car wasn’t great to drive. It wasn’t the nicest car in terms of balance. So I was relieved the championship was decided, and I could focus on the rest of the season without the pressure of needing to deliver.”
Max Verstappen reflects on his Brazilian GP win
Max Verstappen also opened up on winning the F1 Brazilian GP, where he put together one of the best wins of his career. The driver was in a different league in the wet weather, winning the race after starting the race outside the top 10.
Reflecting on that race, the driver opened up on how he was a bit angry after qualifying and was able to channel that feeling on race day. He said (via Viaplay),
“I was obviously very angry after qualifying. Over the years, I’ve learned how to channel that into something positive. Otherwise, you risk driving frustrated and making mistakes. You need to reflect and analyze properly. And generally, I always feel good in the rain.”
In Brazil, it was pivotal for Lando Norris to pull out a decent chunk of points to keep up his challenge for the tile. However, winning the Sao Paulo race sealed the title for Max Verstappen.