Max Verstappen is in Las Vegas, talking about the approach that has brought him to the cusp of a fourth world title.
“I know on track if you want to win, if you want to be a champion, you do need to be on the limit,” the Red Bull driver says in an exclusive interview with BBC Sport.
And just like that, in a single sentence, Verstappen sums up his year – his entire philosophy of Formula 1, in fact.
Verstappen can seal that fourth championship under the lights late on Saturday night on the streets of Sin City – and will do if he finishes ahead of Lando Norris or does not lose more than two points to the McLaren driver.
“Of course the championship is in the back of my mind, naturally,” he says. “But I will always try to get the best result out of it first and then see what’s possible.”
This is the way he has handled the entire championship, throughout which Verstappen and Red Bull’s fortunes have swung widely.
Even before the season started, the team were embroiled in drama. A female employee made sexual harassment allegations against team principal Christian Horner, who as a result has been at loggerheads with Verstappen’s father Jos all year. Horner denies the claims and two internal investigations have cleared him. Meanwhile, senior figures have left the team, including design legend Adrian Newey.
On track, Verstappen started the year in d
