F1: Max Verstappen plays down championship chances

Red Bull star Max Verstappen played down his chances of securing a fourth consecutive world championship at this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Verstappen, who claimed a stunning victory at a rain-soaked Sao Paulo Grand Prix three weeks ago, warned that this win didn’t mean all his challenges were resolved following a 10-race drought without a victory.

Speaking to reporters in Las Vegas, Verstappen was realistic about his prospects. “At the moment, it’s difficult to tell because if you look at the last few races in the dry, of course, we didn’t have the pace,” he said. “It’s not that, because we won in the rain in Brazil, suddenly everything is fixed and everything is looking great again. Of course, it gave me a good position in the championship, but I have to be realistic that we are not the quickest.”

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With track temperatures and conditions still uncertain, Verstappen is unsure if Red Bull will have the edge in Las Vegas. “I hope that we can be competitive here. It’s still very unknown with the track temperatures, of course, and like last year very cold.”

The Dutchman currently leads McLaren’s Lando Norris by 62 points in the championship standings, with three races remaining. With 60 points available in the final two races, Norris needs to outscore Verstappen by at least three points in Las Vegas to keep his title hopes alive.

“For me, the pressure is from me because I want to do well always, every single weekend,” Verstappen said. “And it is not necessarily about the championship. I am just trying to enjoy the weekend as well and to see how competitive we can be. It is not decided yet, so there are still points that need to be scored.”

He emphasized that recent form and car performance would be critical factors. “Really, it is about how quick I am and how good the car is more than anything else. In the last few races, McLaren has been the quickest, but last year, Ferrari was very fast here, and it can be different every year. Other teams have upgrades compared to the last time here, so it is difficult to say what can happen here at the moment.”