Max Verstappen has just won his fourth consecutive World Championship after an incredibly tight season. But a few days after this crowning achievement, he made a surprising statement: according to him, he could have clinched the title earlier this year if he had been with McLaren or Ferrari.
So, what’s the real story? Is it just a champion’s reflection, or a genuine nod to his rivals?
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The Verstappen challenge in 2024: a much tighter season
This 2024 season, M4x Verstappen didn’t have an easy task in securing the championship. Although he took a commanding lead early in the season with seven wins in the first ten races, things got more complicated in the second half of the year. Teams like McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes gained strength, and Verstappen admitted he didn’t always have the fastest car. The four-time World Champion felt that, at times, his Red Bull wasn’t the best on the grid. This made the battle for the title even more intense, with close battles, especially against McLaren’s Lando Norris. But Verstappen eventually secured his fourth title, matching Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel, despite periods when the Red Bull wasn’t as dominant as it had been earlier in the season.
What if Verstappen had been at Ferrari or McLaren?
When asked if he could have won the championship earlier with a different car, Verstappen didn’t hesitate: “Yes, I think I would have been further ahead with McLaren or Ferrari.” This statement echoes McLaren’s impressive late-season performance and Ferrari’s renewed competitiveness. Verstappen suggests that both teams had cars fast enough to allow him to win earlier. But he qualified this by saying that Mercedes would have been a bigger challenge: “With Mercedes, I think it would have been more tricky,” he notes. It’s an interesting reflection on a season where team dynamics evolved over the course of the races.
welcome back max “akshually” verstappen pic.twitter.com/mUItJSCxnY
— bee¹ | M4X (@maxstappn) November 24, 2024
The pressure of being the favorite and Verstappen’s motivation
Throughout the year, Verstappen had to face criticism and doubts, especially regarding his ability to win only with the best F1 car. Zak Brown, McLaren’s CEO, had claimed that a driver like Verstappen could only win titles with Red Bull. But instead of discouraging him, such comments motivated him further. “It pushes me even more,” Verstappen responded. For him, proving to his critics that it’s not just the car that makes a champion became a key driving force. In such fierce competition, every word can serve as fuel for a driver like Verstappen, determined to prove his worth beyond just performance statistics.
This article explores Max Verstappen’s reflections on the 2024 season and his belief that he could have clinched the championship earlier if he had driven for McLaren or Ferrari. It also highlights how the battle between Red Bull and rival teams intensified, forcing Verstappen to adapt. Lastly, the article discusses Verstappen’s reaction to critics and his motivation to prove that he is a champion regardless of his car’s superiority.
Image: Red Bull Content pool
