Verstappen: Red Bull hasn’t sacrificed 2022 to win this year’s F1 title

Formula 1 championship leader Max Verstappen doesn’t believe Red Bull is ‘compromising’ its chances of success in 2022 in its quest for glory against Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes this year.

Connor McDonagh

29 Jun 2021

Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing in the post race FIA Press Conference.
© FIA Pool Image for Editorial Use

With F1 set to undergo a significant overhaul next year, the majority of the teams have switched their focus to 2022.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has already confirmed that his team will not upgrade its car again this season despite slipping further behind in the championship after Verstappen’s emphatic win at the Styrian Grand Prix.

Verstappen leads Hamilton by 18 points in the drivers’ championship with Red Bull enjoying an upturn in form in recent rounds, winning the last four consecutive races.

Even though Red Bull is still bringing updates to its 2021 challenger, Verstappen doubts this approach will harm its chances of success in future seasons.

“Of course, I don’t know what’s going on with other teams, I know from our side we do improve our car almost every race, which I think is very important because we have a good opportunity to have a good season,” Verstappen said after winning at the Red Bull Ring on Sunday.

“I’m confident with the people that we have in the team. Also with the for next year is 100%. I think so far, I don’t see that compromise. Of course, time will tell, next year, if it’s like that. But I’m fully agreeing with the approach that we have for this season.”

Verstappen’s Styrian win was his most dominant yet, beating Hamilton by over 35 seconds.

F1 returns to the Red Bull Ring for this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix but the Dutchman is still eyeing improvements.

“We do have a very good package but I want to see it every single weekend because every track is different,” Verstappen added. “It’s still about finding the perfect set up on the car because it can be quite sensitive in some areas to make it work, it’s never good enough so I always want to try and improve every single weekend.

“Even a weekend like this, it looks amazing, we won by a big margin, but it’s never good enough. So we just look into the details, what we can do better and when we go to other tracks again I don’t expect it to be like today.

“We have to just keep being very focused in what we have to do. So far I’m very happy with how it’s been going, but like I said, it’s never good enough.”