Max Verstappen says his fourth consecutive world title got here after a “very difficult” season and he’s “hungry” to bid for extra success in 2025.
The Pink Bull driver’s fifth place within the Las Vegas Grand Prix put his factors whole past the attain of his closest rival, McLaren’s Lando Norris.
The Briton, who wanted to win at the least three extra factors than Verstappen to proceed the title battle, completed sixth.
George Russell took a dominant victory forward of Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton.
“It was a really difficult season,” Verstappen mentioned. “Additionally as an individual at instances it was very difficult and I needed to be calm.
“In a approach I nonetheless desire final season. I loved it quite a bit, however I feel this season, it has taught me numerous classes.
“I’m very pleased with us as a group and in a approach that makes it a really particular and delightful season.”
When Verstappen received 4 of the primary 5 races in 2024, it appeared as if he would keep it up from final yr, when he and Pink Bull produced probably the most dominant season in historical past.
As an alternative, from which level Verstappen needed to give attention to consistency to make sure he stored his margin.
Norris closed in slowly over the second half of the season, as McLaren developed a constant edge on Pink Bull.
However three weeks in the past put him ready to win the title in Las Vegas and he sealed it on the first try.
“This yr we had the automotive working nicely however we had numerous robust races and that’s one thing I’m very pleased with,” he mentioned.
“The races after we weren’t the quickest automotive, we stored it collectively as a group, labored very onerous, remained calm many of the instances and barely made any errors.
“We actually maximised and possibly overperformed in some locations, plus our opposition in a number of locations positively don’t seize the factors they need to have and all of these issues matter if you end up preventing for a championship.”
Verstappen was praised by his rivals, who all mentioned he deserved his title for such a powerful season.
Norris mentioned: “He made some errors however over the course of the season that could be very few and that’s what makes him so good.
“He has not had a nasty qualifying or a nasty race. He simply will get every thing out of the automotive and that is all the time spectacular to see, all the time issues to study.”
Verstappen mentioned he anticipated subsequent season to be “a correct battle between numerous vehicles, however I’m hungry”.
Pink Bull group boss Christian Horner instructed BBC Radio 5 Reside: “It is unbelievable, he is achieved an incredible job, he is been excellent all yr and we’re simply very pleased with him, he is pushed brilliantly.
“He is received eight grands prix, he is received the World Championship with two races to go, you may’t ask for greater than that.
“He simply will get within the automotive and he delivers, he is a fantastic human. It places him amongst the greats, statistics now put him there as nicely.
“He is solely simply turned 27 and he is within the type of his life so so long as we are able to hold giving him a good automotive then he’ll hold delivering.”
