Verstappen Downplays Pressure Ahead of Sao Paulo Grand Prix
As the Sao Paulo Grand Prix approaches, Max Verstappen maintains that the pressure lies not on him but on McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who are locked in a tight battle for second place in the championship standings. With just four races remaining, Norris leads Piastri by a mere one point, while Verstappen trails by 36 points after a recent resurgence, including three victories and three podiums in the last six races.
Verstappen reflects positively on his season, stating, “For me, there is no pressure. Even if I don’t win it, I still know that I drove a really good season.” He emphasized the remarkable nature of still contending for a championship title despite being over 100 points behind earlier this season.
Discussing the competition with McLaren, Verstappen noted, “The distraction maybe is a little bit there at McLaren between the two drivers, but at the same time, they still have a very fast car.” He acknowledged that while the internal rivalry could play to his advantage, he prefers the performance advantage that Norris and Piastri have enjoyed throughout the season. “Just give me the fastest car and I’ll drive it as fast as it needs to be,” he added.
Verstappen pointed out the potential for Mercedes and Ferrari to impact the championship dynamics. He stressed the necessity for Red Bull to improve its pace to close the gap, stating, “We also need to be faster than them to the end of the season to close the gap down.”
With optimism for the final races, he remarked, “It comes down to us optimizing everything and nailing the weekend. We may also need a bit of luck.” Verstappen remains confident, noting, “Worst case we have P3, and best case you can win a championship.”
