Max Verstappen isn’t backing down from his aggressive driving style that helped clinch his fourth Formula 1 championship in 2024. And he’s not sorry about it either.
“I hate losing,” the Dutch racing star admits frankly. “I know exactly what I’m doing out there.”
His hard-charging approach ruffled some feathers this season, especially with McLaren’s Lando Norris after some controversial moments in Austin and Mexico City. But Verstappen insists it’s all part of the game.
The 26-year-old champion has built quite a reputation for pushing other drivers to their absolute limit. We saw it back in 2021 during his heated battle with Lewis Hamilton, and now again in 2024.
“Sometimes it’s necessary,” Verstappen explains. “I’ll do everything I can to win.”
He’s surprisingly open about his tactical thinking on the track. While he acknowledges there have been some “questionable moves,” he emphasizes that every aggressive maneuver is calculated.
“I’m fully in control of what I’m executing on track,” he says. “Sometimes there’s definitely a thought behind it.”
What’s really interesting is how this mindset carries over even when he’s winning. Even after dominating 2023, Verstappen and his team kept pushing for more speed.
“I can acknowledge when someone does a better job,” he admits. “But it’s still not nice to lose. That’s the driving factor – we need to be better.”
This relentless pursuit of improvement seems to be working. Four world championships later, Verstappen’s aggressive style might not make him many friends on the track, but it’s certainly getting results.
