“I want to win, but the desperation is gone,” Max Verstappen motivated to defend the F1 title in 2022
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Max Verstappen
Recently, the current F1 world champion and the Red Bull driver, Max Verstappen, in his documentary Verstappen – Lion Unleashed, said, “My goal in life and racing has been achieved.” But in a recent interview with the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, the driver has iterated that he’s “still on the same level” and “want to do it [winning the championship] again.” The driver has also signed the longest contract ever in F1 with his team, which extends his current tenure in Red Bull at least until 2028.
Max Verstappen won the 2021 championship in a controversial fashion and has since been in highlights for all the wrong reasons. But many including the ex-F1 driver David Coulthard believe, “Max deserved the title because of his fighting spirit.”
While Max’s statements may disappoint some, and the driver may appear to be relaxed and not hard-working, there seems to be no concern for the Red Bull boss as well. Christian Horner, too, believes that Max is still the same and added, “He’s got that inner burning desire. He’s a real fighter. You know when you put him in the car, he’s going to give you 110 percent.”
Max Verstappen’s statement of intent
Max Verstappen fought hard for the title last season against Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton. Both were in a tussle and dragged their battle till the final lap of the season. On being asked whether he feels bad for Lewis Hamilton losing out in Abu Dhabi due to the call made by the ex-race director Michael Masi, Verstappen said, “Yes, if you look at how things went in Abu Dhabi. But like I said, you have to watch the whole season. You don’t earn a title based on one race.”
On being asked about his desire and “must” win for every race, Max Verstappen said, “I want to win. But the rushed, almost desperate, must win is gone. That doesn’t mean I’m less motivated. I’m still on the same level in that regard. Maybe I’m just more motivated because I want to do it again. But this does feel like a good way of thinking. It’s a bit more relaxed. In my first six seasons I never had a chance to make a serious shot at the title. In the first year that it was possible, it worked immediately.”
Although the reigning champion seems a bit relaxed and calm after winning his first title, he has time and time again said he’s still determined to win and defend his title. One deciding factor however could be out of his hand, which is the car of his team. If the team fails to provide him a car competitive enough, he may struggle to put up a fight against the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes, both of whom were consistent in Barcelona.
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Manan Goel
(400 Articles Published)