Two-time F1 champ and current runaway points leader Max Verstappen says he has “zero interest” in whether the end to his dominant streak of victories will bring in a different audience to Formula 1.
Verstappen has controlled this season with 12 victories, and is poised to clinch a third successive title in Qatar in early October, and set a new record of 10 wins in a row. That streak came to an abrupt halt in Singapore as Red Bull struggled with the performance of its RB19, with neither Verstappen nor teammate Sergio Perez making the top 10 in qualifying.
Verstappen recovered to finish the race in fifth, with Perez eighth, in a race that was won by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.
“I mean, yeah, we stopped winning for one race—shit happens,” said a relaxed Verstappen on Thursday, ahead of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix. “We won 10 in a row before that. Of course I would have liked to win there as well, but I also know there is always going to be a day or a weekend where you are not winning and things go wrong.
“Unfortunately, it was that weekend, but we just move on and try again.”
When it was put to Verstappen that he looks at the bigger picture of a different driver winning being positive for Formula 1 he replied: “I have zero interest in that.
“We got beaten and in a very clear way. I don’t think about what’s good for Formula 1. I don’t think it was necessarily bad what was happening to Formula 1, because we were just better than everyone else. If people can’t appreciate that, then you are not a real fan.
“That’s how it goes and that’s why I was super relaxed about it, because we didn’t perform and other people did a better job than us and of course they deserve to win. They shouldn’t win because people say it’s boring that we are winning.”
Red Bull’s incredible form means that the team stands on the brink of clinching the Constructors’ Championship in Japan.
Red Bull will mathematically make sure of the 2023 championship crown if it out-scores Mercedes and is also not out-scored by Ferrari by 24 points.
“It’s a great achievement and something that we set out to do at the start of the year and something that everyone can be very proud of,” said Verstappen.
“For sure, if we could win it here it would mean a little bit extra for everyone, also for Honda being involved with us. It would be very nice.”
Verstappen claimed victory at a rain-lashed Suzuka last year but the forecast for this Sunday’s race is dry, with atypically hot and humid temperatures also prevalent.
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