Days after clinching his fourth world championship at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Max Verstappen has taken a moment to reflect on his monumental achievement. The Dutchman’s fifth-place finish in Nevada sealed the title with two races to spare, bringing an intense and competitive 2024 Formula 1 season to a rewarding conclusion.
Emotional Victory After a Grueling Season
Speaking during Thursday’s media day at the Qatar Grand Prix, Verstappen shared his thoughts on how it felt to secure the championship: “It was great. I was very happy with the season and then winning it in Vegas. For me, it was a very intense season, so it was also very nice to celebrate it a little bit.”
This title, Verstappen admitted, felt particularly special due to the heightened competition Red Bull faced throughout the season. Reflecting on the significance of this victory, he said: “They’ve all been very different, but I do think that this one was very rewarding. It’s not always been the easiest for us as a team, and to come away with that championship… I really felt it when I crossed the line in Vegas. I was like, ‘It’s done!’”
Red Bull’s Challenges and Lessons Learned
The 2024 season tested Red Bull’s resilience more than previous campaigns. With McLaren and Ferrari mounting strong challenges, Verstappen highlighted how these battles brought out the best in the team. Despite moments of difficulty, he expressed pride in how Red Bull adapted: “It’s been challenging at times, but I’m very proud of how we handled everything.”
With the constructors’ championship still mathematically in play—albeit with a significant gap—Verstappen’s focus remains forward-looking. Red Bull sits in third place, trailing McLaren by 53 points and Ferrari by 29. While catching up might be unlikely, Verstappen emphasized using the remaining races to gather insights for 2025.
Preparing for the Future
Looking ahead, Verstappen revealed Red Bull is already working on improvements for the next season. “We’re still going to try and learn a bit in these last few races, but I think we already have a lot of ideas and stuff that we want to change for next year. Only time will tell if it’s going to be competitive enough or not.”
Despite the fierce battles among the top teams in 2024, Verstappen appears unfazed by the drama. His mindset remains fixed on maximizing performance in the present and preparing for challenges ahead: “At the moment, [the close competition] doesn’t really do anything to me. I just try to do the best I can this end of the season. For next year, we know that we have a lot of things that we have to improve on, and that’s what we’ll try to work on.”
Closing Out the Season in Style
With two races left, Verstappen’s focus is split between finishing the season strong and laying the groundwork for another title push in 2025. His ability to reflect on and learn from this year’s challenges underscores his maturity as a driver.
As the Qatar Grand Prix kicks off the final stages of the season, fans and rivals alike will watch closely to see how Verstappen and Red Bull close this chapter and prepare for what lies ahead. Max Verstappen has proven once again that he’s not just a champion but a driver constantly striving for more.
