The Formula 1-season… to the Max!
Published on 11 December 2015 by Niels Hendrix
From his expectations to his highlights: Max Verstappen talks to Scuderia Toro Rosso about his first Formula 1 season and his plans for 2016.
The youngest driver on the grid has completed his rookie season, how does that feel?
“I never thought about my age and that I was the youngest driver on the grid. You just have to always believe in yourself and I just did what I was used to doing in F3 and go-karting. The only difference this year, is that I've been driving a bigger, faster car. Of course you question yourself a bit and ask 'can I do it?', but this happens in any racing series. I'm a very relaxed person and I just told myself, 'let's see what happens'. I also did the same when I started in go-karting, you never know what's going to happen or how good you will be.”
Have you exceeded your expectations?
“I think so, a little bit. I mean, I scored more points than I expected, so in that respect it's definitely been better than I thought at the start of the year. I'm very happy with that! I'd say I've also been very consistent throughout the year, something that's not always easy to achieve during a rookie year.”
What's been your highlight of the season and what do you think are your biggest gains?
“I've had many good moments, which also makes me very happy! But if I have to choose one, I think Austin was my best race – very complete, quick and clean moves, and finished in P4. I think that in general I've learned a lot this year, gained plenty of experience and got much more knowledge about the car, the circuits... About Formula 1 in general. What has also been good is to have someone like Carlos as a teammate. He's always pushing you and that's what I like, you need someone next to you who is pushing you hard to get the most out of you on track.”
What are your plans for the winter?
“First I will make sure I enjoy a bit of a holiday and from January onwards it will all be about training and more training, getting ready for the new season. My target for 2016 is try to do a little bit better than this year.
