Why Max Verstappen has lack of excitement about breaking F1 win record
Max Verstappen, Red Bull, motions with his hand as he talks to reporters. Mexico, October 2022.
Although Max Verstappen has broken the record for most wins in a single season, it is not something he spends too much time thinking about.
The Dutchman has already broken plenty of records including youngest driver to ever enter, score points and win a race and given a rule change that states drivers must now be 18 and over to race in F1, he is likely to keep those accolades.
With his victory in Mexico, he overtook Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel in terms of the highest number of wins achieved in a single season having won 14 of the 20 races so far.
But it appears that is not something he is too fussed about and throughout his career, every milestone he passes has been met with an apathetic shrug by Verstappen.
The Red Bull driver has been explaining why he is so nonplussed about those records.
“I was never really interested in stats,” he said at the post-Mexican Grand Prix press conference. “I just live in the moment. I just try to, of course, do the best I can every single weekend.
“I try to win the races and that, for me, is the most important. Every single weekend when I go home and I can say to myself I maximised, or close to that, I’m happy.
“But of course, a lot in Formula 1 depends on your whole package. And we are having a great package and I’m just enjoying the moment and I’m not that interested in keeping in touch with every stat.
“But of course, it is an amazing season and I’m very happy with winning so many races.”
Verstappen did, however, admit 14 wins in a season is something he never thought he would be able to do.
“Another great race,” he said in regard to Mexico. “We knew the first stint would be the crucial one for us, to keep the soft tyres alive long enough, which seemed to work.
“I did struggle a bit towards the end, but luckily the gap was big enough to extend a few laps.
“Once we put on the medium tyres, everything was working quite well. I think quite early on we figured we could make it to the end.
“So another great race, but also it’s just an incredible season for us as a team. Never thought I would be able to win 14 races in a year. But I’m incredibly proud.”
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