World Champion Verstappen: The worst is behind us
October 6, 2024, 12:30 p.m
Max Verstappen and Red Bull have to improve. Lando Norris in particular is putting pressure on the defending champion in the Formula 1 World Championship fight. But he now sees an important point reached.
Max Verstappen wants to become world champion again. © Peter Dejong/AP
After difficult months with too many disappointments, Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen is expecting an improvement in the final spurt of the season. “Yes, to be honest, I think so,” the Dutchman replied in an interview with the specialist portal “Autosport” when asked whether the worst was over for him and his stumbling Red Bull team. “Hopefully we can continue to make good progress from here,” said the 27-year-old before the race in Austin, Texas, in two weeks.
Red Bull took a “wrong direction”
Although Verstappen continues to lead the overall standings on the way to his fourth world title in a row, the pressure from his pursuer Lando Norris is enormous. The three-time champion is only 52 points ahead of the Brit in the McLaren, with six rounds of the season still to go. Verstappen hasn’t won since June. “At some point we turned in the wrong direction,” said Verstappen about the problems with his car: “The other teams either haven’t gotten to this point yet or have developed the car a little differently.” That is difficult to assess.
However, the dominator of the past few years believes that a turning point has been reached. The technical improvements to the car at the penultimate Grand Prix in Baku were a good first step. «I am convinced that we are moving in the right direction. But that takes time. “You can’t turn something like this around in a week or two,” he said. Red Bull is also expected to further improve the car with an update package at the upcoming World Cup round in the USA.
© dpa
