Max Verstappen makes his intentions clear in Abu Dhabi: "I already have four at home"

In more ways than one, Thursday's press conference was eagerly awaited in Abu Dhabi. For the first time this season, an exception was made by the F1 at the time of announcing its composition, allowing two drivers from the same team to compete simultaneously. In this case, Oscar piastri et Lando Norris were indeed present alongside Max Verstappen, but the latter remained the main attraction of the morning.

When asked about his state of mind before this final round of the 2025 season, the Dutchman remained true to form. According to him, pressure is not a factor at all. "I'm very relaxed. I have nothing to lose." he recalledI enjoyed the second half of the season and working with the team to turn things around. Everything is a bonus here, which makes things very easy for me. I'm just going to try to have a good weekend, but it's not even really under my control.

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Verstappen is betting on stoicism

Four-time world champion, and visibly detached from weekend concerns, Max Verstappen displayed a much more evident maturity than when he faced the same situation in 2021. Although at the time, the driver Red Bull or perfectly equal with Lewis HamiltonThe current situation seems to highlight his stoicism, but also his ability to put pressure on his opponents without giving the impression of doing so.

"The trophy is the same. I have four at home; it would be nice to add a fifth." he laughed. I've already achieved everything I wanted in F1, and anything that comes next is a bonus. I'm continuing because I love it. I'll try to maximize the result, even if I don't think we're the fastest.

A clear picture of the state of mind of the four-time reigning world champion, Max Verstappen, who repeatedly reminded everyone during this exchange: this weekend does not appear any more special to him than the previous ones. "My parents aren't here. My father is doing..." rally in Africa, and my mother is at home, happy with the dogs. explained the DutchmanWe're not like that; they know I'll give it my all. I talk to them about other things; they don't need to motivate me, although they always support me. My mother always lights a candle before every race weekend.