Chilled to the Max: Verstappen works the room throughout media duties

For a person aiming to assert a fifth consecutive F1 drivers’ title and having obtained a combined reception in the course of the livery launch occasion in London, Max Verstappen didn’t seem to have a care on this planet as he spoke to the media on Thursday.

The Pink Bull racer lounged on the press convention couch, subsequent to 2024 title rival Lando Norris, arm draped over the again of the seating, microphone positioned alongside him till he felt he wanted to contribute to the session throughout pre-season testing in Bahrain.

After speaking about his first run within the RB21, he confronted questions from the gathered journalists and made essentially the most of giving them as little as doable.

To begin with, he disregarded a query concerning the jeering of himself and Pink Bull workforce principal Christian Horner on the F1 75 occasion – with Horner himself saying a day earlier he had been “disillusioned” on the reception for Verstappen.

The person himself, although, had a distinct method: “There was any booing? Possibly I am deaf. I need not actually speak about it. It isn’t price my time,” he stated.

Subsequent up, what did Verstappen make of the 2026 Pirelli tyres? “They’re spherical,” was his playful retort as he and Norris chuckled away like naughty schoolboys.

Possibly one other query associated to automobile efficiency would garner a severe reply from Verstappen?

“Effectively, I imply, it may possibly’t be worse than final 12 months,” he stated, earlier than including the a lot trotted out caveat that, given that is pre-season testing, it’s nonetheless “early days”.

Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing

Photograph by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Photographs

Requested to broaden on how Pink Bull’s 2025 challenger is much less unpredictable to drive, the Dutchman was not prepared to supply up a technical briefing.

“In all places. And it is simply improved in all places in comparison with final 12 months. I do not need to go an excessive amount of intimately. It isn’t crucial. We preserve that for ourselves. However yeah, let’s examine. I imply, I’ve executed half a day. So there’s lots to analyse additionally. However it’s optimistic,” he replied.

Subsequent up, one other try to debate F1 75 and, after fellow drivers Jack Doohan, Charles Leclerc and Alex Albon had given their opinion, Verstappen had one other tongue-in-cheek response: “It was completely improbable,” he stated, because the room burst right into a collective chuckle.

Maybe the spotlight, although, was saved for final as he and Norris bantered forwards and backwards after a query over their friendship, which was strained at instances in the course of the 2024 title battle.

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For saying at instances final 12 months Verstappen flatly refused to reply questions within the official press convention, it was refreshing to see him in a light-hearted temper, nonetheless participating with the media – however it’s a trope that might put on skinny rapidly as soon as the true racing will get underneath manner.

Images from the Bahrain Pre-Season Testing – Day 2

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Mark Mann-Bryans

Method 1

Max Verstappen

Pink Bull Racing

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