Max on 2016: "Double amount of points and a podium"
Published on 04 December 2015 by Stefan Meens
On Tuesday, Max Verstappen turned the wheel of his STR10 one final time during the last test of the 2015 Formula 1 season. The Dutchman clocked 2649 laps in the Scuderia Toro Rosso racer in which he drove his debut F1 season.
“Looking back on my first year, I’m very happy”, says Max to Verstappen.nl. “With two fourth places, it was a good season. We were close to a podium, which we didn’t expect prior to the season. I scored a lot of points and got points in six consecutive races. It’s important to be consistent. So I think we can label 2015 as a very good season.”
The 49 points, earned Max twelfth place in final standings with the two fourth places as the stand out results. “I got better and better in qualifyings resulting in better starting positions. It also helped that my overtakes went really well. Nevertheless I didn’t expect a fourth place. You need a bit of luck in terms of people failing to finish but you have to be there when it matters. The P4 at the Hungaroring was very special, completely unexpected. When I crossed the line, I saw the whole team on the pit wall sheering me own. That made it even better.”
The Hungarian Grand Prix was a highlight, but Max delights even more in his fourth place in Austin. “That was a super race: we had the speed and the track was half wet and half dry, which was awesome. I managed to drive a race without mistakes in difficult conditions. The car felt great and the team planned the right strategy with the pit stops. It was pretty perfect.”
Despite only one season in F1, the 18-year-old is already renowned for his overtakes. “Overtakes are always difficult, especially with an engine that lacks in power and when you’re up against the best drivers in the world.” Despite the challenges, Max pulled of several fantastic moves. “It’s a feeling and an understanding that’s difficult to explain. But it’s important to have a good exit out of the corners, to set up an overtake.”
Max’ favourite manoeuvre happened at ferocious speeds when he went around the outside of Felipe Nasr in the Sauber, clocking over 300km/h through Blanchimont at Spa-Francorchamps. “Nasr made a small mistake in the corner before. For us it’s hard, with less top speed on the straights, to overtake on the straights so you need to make the most of those opportunities. In the car, the moment seems to take longer than it actually does, but I simply thought ‘I have a good exit so I have to try it around the outside’. In the end it worked and I was happy with that one.”
Prior to the season, the expectations were realistic: 2015 would be a year of learning. “As a driver you always want to learn, but you also want to show your speed. So I think I managed to find the right balance. But you can always improve, in every area and it’s never done. I can still develop as a driver as well as physically but experience is the most important. The latter builds up over time but then it’s a case of using it.”
Looking ahead to 2016, Max is ambitious as always. “I want to do better than this year, in every way. I want to qualify better, score more points and finish higher. I’m raising the bar a lot so I’m aiming for a double amount of points and a podium.”
