Max Verstappen already seems to have one hand on the Drivers’ Championship this season as he has a 62-point lead over title rival Lando Norris. Despite such a healthy advantage with just three Grand Prix weekends remaining, he is not happy. For him, winning a fourth championship is not enough; he wants to win every race — which is the kind of attitude that has helped him already clinch three titles and over 60 victories at the age of 27.
“The pressure is that I want to be good every weekend. It’s not necessarily about the title,” he said in an interview with Motorsport Total.
He added that while he currently finds himself in a brilliant position to win the championship this season, he is not optimistic about his chances of winning this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix. For him, “We (Red Bull) are still not the fastest”.
https://t.co/wBvTAwTp6l [Ticker] – Max Verstappen is on the verge of winning a 4th title in Las Vegas, but he says that the pressure has not gone away after victory in Brazil, because for him it is not just about the title: “The pressure is that I want to be good every weekend.” pic.twitter.com/CZ7usxCzoq
— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) November 21, 2024
Such has been the predicament that Verstappen and Red Bull have found themselves in for most of the 2024 season. Yet, the Dutchman has done brilliantly to limit the damage.
At times, he has even stunned everyone by putting in some masterful drives, as he did in the Sao Paulo GP when he won despite starting 17th on the grid. With the 27-year-old winning the race in Brazil, all he needs is 24 points more to win his fourth championship.
Ferrari can help Verstappen seal his fourth title
With Verstappen admitting that he is unlikely to be in the hunt for the win at this weekend’s Las Vegas GP, the fight is likely to be between the two McLarens and the two Ferraris — two teams that are fighting to win their first Constructors’ Championship.
McLaren may have had the fastest car for most of the 2024 campaign, but Ferrari are likely to have the advantage in Las Vegas. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz has already issued a warning to McLaren, stating that the Las Vegas circuit is more suited to his side than the Woking-based outfit.
While the Spaniard is still wary of the colder temperatures in Vegas which may limit their performance, the Italian outfit seems to be the favorite as even McLaren bosses have claimed so ahead of the race weekend.
So, if Sainz and Ferrari can utilize the characteristics of this track to their advantage, then they will not only boost their chances of winning the Constructors’ title but will inadvertently also help Verstappen by taking points off Norris.
