Verstappen: Finishing second in 2020 F1 standings "doesn't really matter"
Red Bull Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen says "it doesn't really matter" if he finishes second in the championship, despite only trailing Valtteri Bottas by 27 points
Verstappen made it clear that, with the 2020 World Championship now decided in favour of Lewis Hamilton, the positions behind the Englishman don't matter to him.
He closed the gap to Bottas slightly in Turkey having finished a frustrated sixth on a day when the Finn was out of the points.
PLUS: The headache Verstappen is giving Red Bull
"We'll see," Verstappen said, when asked about his prospect of catching the Mercedes driver. "It doesn't really matter, a second or third.
"I just want to have a good result. If it means that at the end you are third in the championship, but you had a few positive races to finish the season, I'm happy with that."
Verstappen admitted that his team knew at the start of the year that it wouldn't be a championship contender in 2020, despite a strong finish to the previous season.
"First race I think was quite clear that we were too far off,"he said.
"And why? I mean, that I don't know, because otherwise we would have changed already, if we knew why.
"I think everyone is working very hard, there is no question about that.
"But a lot of teams are working very hard, of course, and we still have some catching up to do, but it's difficult to pinpoint why."
Regarding what the car needed he joked: "We basically need more grip and more power. That's it, right? You never have enough grip, and never have enough power."
Verstappen acknowledged that updates introduced at the last race in Turkey appeared to work, although it was hard to judge them in the difficult conditions, and at an unknown track.
He believes that the benefits will be more apparent in Bahrain this weekend.
The upgrades included tweaks to the nose and moving the position of the wastegate exhausts at the rear.
"I mean, it's always difficult to say, because of the conditions, but I tested a few new parts, and they were definitely positive," he said.
"So I'm just looking forward to come here to Bahrain, where of course we have a bit more information already with these cars and the last few years, so I just want to see how it works here. But I'm confident that it can be good."
Previous article
Leclerc vows to learn from Turkey F1 error after being "too optimistic"
Next article
Hamilton: Racing for Ferrari in F1 "just wasn't meant to be"
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Drivers | Jos Verstappen , Max Verstappen |
| Author | Adam Cooper |
Albert Park Circuit Modifications Project
Mercedes-AMG F1 Team: Bahrain GP Race Debrief
The diva that stole a march on F1’s wide-bodied opposition
In 2017 new F1 technical regulations were supposed to add drama - and peg Mercedes back. STUART CODLING looks at the car which, while troubled, set the stage for the wide-bodied Formula 1 era
The themes to watch in F1’s Imola return
Three weeks is a long time in Formula 1, but in the reshaped start to the 2021 season the teams head to Imola to pick things up after the frenetic Bahrain opener. Here's what to look out for and the developments to follow at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
The 'new' F1 drivers who need to improve at Imola
After a pandemic-hit winter of seat-swapping, F1 kicked off its season with several new faces in town, other drivers adapting to new environments, and one making a much-anticipated comeback. BEN ANDERSON looks at who made the most of their opportunity and who needs to try harder…
The delay that quashed Aston Martin’s last F1 venture
Aston Martin’s only previous foray into Formula 1 in the late 1950s was a short-lived and unsuccessful affair. But it could have been so different, says NIGEL ROEBUCK
Verstappen exclusive: Why lack of car-racing titles won't hurt Red Bull's ace
Max Verstappen’s star quality in Formula 1 is clear. Now equipped with a Red Bull car that is, right now, the world title favourite and the experience to support his talent, could 2021 be the Dutchman’s year to topple the dominant force of Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes?
Are we at peak F1 right now?
For many, many years Formula 1 has strived to do and to be better on all fronts. With close competition, a growing fanbase, a stable political landscape and rules in place to encourage sustainability, 2021 is on course to provide an unexpected peak
How crucial marginal calls will decide the Red Bull vs Mercedes battle in F1 2021
The longer Red Bull can maintain a performance edge over Mercedes, the better the odds will be in the team’s favour against the defending world champions. But as the Bahrain Grand Prix showed, many more factors will be critical in the outcome of the 2021 Formula 1 World Championship
How Williams’ new structure adheres to a growing F1 trend
Williams held out against the tide for many years but, as MARK GALLAGHER explains, the age of the owner-manager is long gone
