Max ahead of Abu Dhabi: 'Still pushing for another win'
Published on 09 December 2020 by Niels Hendrix
Ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the last race of the season, we ask Max Verstappen about his views on the race in Sakhir, that ended in the first lap. How do you feel now reflecting on the start of the Sakhir Grand Prix?
Max: “It’s still frustrating, we had a quick car and I was looking forward to having a good race for the Red Bull Racing. There were three times during that opening lap that I tried to avoid contact but everyone seemed pretty aggressive and there wasn’t much more I could do.”
“I respect Charles as a driver and these things happen to us all at some point but my race was destroyed and that is also not nice for the Red Bull as they also deserved a good result. The grid penalty for the next race doesn’t really mean much now as we can’t change the result but these things happen and we all move on.”
Looking ahead to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, what are your thoughts about the track?
Max: “I’m looking forward to Abu Dhabi and I enjoy the track. Coming from such a short circuit without many corners it will be good to get back to a more normal track with 21 corners. We finished second here last year and we have nothing to lose this weekend so it will be ‘full send’.”
It’s the last race of the season, are you ready for a break?
Max: “It has been a crazy season and we now have one last push in Abu Dhabi and I think many of the team members are ready for a break. People always ask if it has been a hard year for the drivers but actually it’s the team that it is hard for as they fly earlier than us and have to prepare everything before we even arrive.”
Max continues: “It’s been so intense for them and although we all love racing everyone is ready to be with their families and enjoy some time out. Although being second or third in the Drivers’ Championship doesn’t really make a difference to me, we will of course still be pushing for another win. As long as the Red Bull are pushing, which you can see from the upgrades and fastest pit stops, then I am of course pushing.”
