Max Verstappen talks about the bad moments in his title-winning Formula 1 campaign last year, which included him going to the hospital.
Max Verstappen got the first taste of the ultimate success in Abu Dhabi last year when he won the championship. But, it was something that came at a great cost.
Verstappen vied against seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in 2021 for the championship. It was an exciting yet stressful period for the Dutchman.
“Sitting in the hospital all evening being examined was definitely the low point because you don’t want to be there,” said Verstappen to the Motorsport (translated with Google). “Baku wasn’t nice. But those are the moments that make you a better driver in the end.”
“People start to doubt you and there was also criticism. But I think that in moments like that you learn that you have to keep believing in yourself and in your beliefs and be a strong person.”
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Max Verstappen admits competing Lewis Hamilton was physically tolling
Verstappen talks about the intensity of his competition with Hamilton. He accepts that it was physically demanding, and the quality of races was always high.
“I think the quality in general was very high, especially through me and Lewis of course. We pushed each other to the limit every time. There were some pretty tough races, physically too.”
“We drove at the limit the whole time. There wasn’t a lap to rest. And throughout the weekend – qualifying, race – it was so important to always try to be perfect, which is very important in Formula 1,” he affirms.
“One tiny mistake can mean the difference between P1 and P2 and in the championship we had it was huge. The level of concentration was very high.”
Now, Verstappen is ready to enter into the 2022 season of F1, where he is likely to fight for the championship once again.
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