Max Verstappen performed down his prospects of clinching a fourth consecutive drivers’ world championship at this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The Purple Bull driver, who claimed a spectacular victory within the rain-hit Sao Paulo Grand Prix three weeks in the past, mentioned that triumph had not proved that each one his issues had been over after a winless 10-race run.
Talking to reporters in Las Vegas, he mentioned it was not sure that he would win once more to take the 2024 title.
“In the mean time, it is troublesome to inform as a result of if you happen to have a look at the previous couple of races within the dry after all we did not have the tempo… It isn’t that, as a result of we received within the rain in Brazil, immediately all the pieces is mounted and all the pieces is trying nice once more.
“In fact, it gave me a very good place within the championship, but additionally I’ve to be sensible that we aren’t the quickest.
“I hope that we might be aggressive right here. It is nonetheless very unknown with the monitor temperatures, after all, and like final yr very chilly.”
The Dutchman leads McLaren’s Lando Norris by 62 factors within the title race with three Grands Prix remaining – and 60 factors obtainable on the last two races.
This leaves Norris needing to beat Verstappen by three factors in Las Vegas to maintain his title problem alive.
“For me, the strain is from me as a result of I need to do properly all the time, each single weekend,” mentioned Verstappen. “And it isn’t essentially concerning the championship.
“I’m simply attempting to benefit from the weekend as properly and to see. How aggressive we might be. It isn’t determined but so there are nonetheless factors that we must be scored.
“Actually, it’s about how fast I’m and the way good the automobile is greater than anything.
“In the previous couple of races, McLaren has been the quickest however final yr, Ferrari was very quick right here and it may be completely different yearly.
“Different groups have upgrades in comparison with the final time right here so it’s troublesome to say what can occur right here in the meanwhile.”
– Drivers ‘bit fed up’ with FIA –
Verstappen additionally expressed shock on the sudden departure of race director Niels Wittich.
The FIA mentioned on the eve of the Grand Prix that the German had left his function to “pursue new alternatives”, however Wittich mentioned he had been dismissed with three races remaining this yr.
Rui Marques has changed him.
“I feel everybody was very shocked to see that with three races to go,” mentioned Verstappen who added his assist to the Grand Prix Drivers’ Affiliation”s calls for for the FIA to deal with them “like adults” with higher session and transparency.
The drivers additionally requested for president Mohammed Ben Sulayem to “take into account his personal tone and language when speaking to our member drivers, or certainly about them.”
“We simply wished to ship a letter to be sure that everyone seems to be conscious of our issues and what we need to work on and we’ll see what comes out of that,” mentioned Verstappen.
“In the mean time, nothing has occurred. I feel there was so much happening with the FIA anyway that they needed to cope with – now we’ll see within the coming races and we’ll hold partaking.”
Mercedes’ George Russell mentioned the FIA had not responded to their open letter and admitted drivers, generally, had been “just a little bit fed up with the entire state of affairs.
“Getting issues to vary, or guarantees upheld, appears barely more difficult,” he mentioned. “Possibly the FIA or the president didn’t recognise how critically all of us felt.”
str/mw
