Max Verstappen has insisted that he’s feeling “very relaxed” forward of the title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with the Dutchman admitting that he’s content material with how he and Purple Bull have been “turning issues round from tough occasions” throughout the second half of the season.
Verstappen enters the weekend in second place of the Drivers’ Championship and simply 12 factors adrift of chief Lando Norris, having dramatically closed the factors hole following a powerful run of kind throughout the final eight rounds which has seen him take 5 victories.
Previous to the decisive occasion on the Yas Marina Circuit, Verstappen defined throughout Thursday’s media day that he was centered on different issues in his life earlier than arriving on the venue.
“I spent a while with my daughter,” the Red Bull driver mentioned. “I figured some stuff out for GT3 for subsequent 12 months, found out some stuff for my sim racing group as properly, planning for subsequent 12 months. Fairly easy stuff earlier than arriving right here.”
Verstappen went on to element how he’s seemingly not feeling the strain coming into into the weekend, having not anticipated that he would nonetheless be within the championship battle on condition that he was 104 factors adrift of former chief Oscar Piastri only a few months in the past in August.
“I’m very relaxed, nothing to lose,” the 28-year-old mirrored. “I’m simply having fun with being right here, however for me it’s not even about being right here – I’ve been having fun with the second half of the season, working with the group and the way we’ve been capable of flip issues round from tough occasions.
“[We’ve gone from] having a debrief after the race, feeling very upset and pissed off with the performances, to simply having fun with, smiling, having these wins once more. It’s implausible, so I’ll simply take it.
“To me every part right here is only a bonus and sitting right here preventing for the title. That’s additionally what makes it actually easy for me. We are going to simply attempt to have a very good weekend, however even then it’s probably not in my management, so I suppose I’ll simply attempt to get pleasure from it.”
Wanting again on the marketing campaign, Verstappen struggled to select any specific incident that he would deem as one the place the title might need gotten away from him.
“On the finish of the day, it’s received over 24 races – some races go a bit higher than others,” the four-time World Champion conceded. “A number of the races we didn’t have lots of tempo, or sufficient tempo to problem for a win, however right here we’re.
“Usually I’m simply very pleased with the season we’ve achieved, how we’ve come again as properly within the second half. We’ll simply attempt to hold it enjoyable now till the top, however to at all times decide one specific second or no matter, that’s at all times a tough one.”
