Max Verstappen likes racing in the Middle East. He secured his first Formula One World Championship under the lights of Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit in 2021, and this year he secured his third-straight Driver’s Championship when he crossed the finish line in Qatar’s sprint race back in October.
Since then the procession of victories has led to a historic season for the Red Bull Racing driver, with a record-setting 18 race wins (which included 10 race wins in a row – another F1 record) in a display of utter dominance, even by F1’s often lop-sided standards.
As the Formula One racing circus returns to Abu Dhabi for the final race of the 2023 season, the “Flying Dutchman” sits down with Esquire Middle East to discuss the success behind a special season (although, one he refuses to call ‘perfect’), his love for the TAG Heuer Monaco watch and he spills the beans on which of his Red Bull teammates he has learned the most from…
ESQ: Welcome back to Abu Dhabi, Champ! How does your third World Championship stack up to the previous two?
Max Verstappen: I think the first one will always be the most emotional one, but I do think that this year’s championship has definitely been the best in terms of overall performance. They have all been good, but looking back at this season, it has been unbelievable with the amount of wins that we’ve achieved. As a team we’ve become better and that makes it even more satisfying.
ESQ: I remember you saying before, that setting records doesn’t motivate you, so what does motivate you, going forward?
MV: I just love winning. I didn’t come in to Formula One to try break records, I came to win races, that will always be the goal. If you have a good car, you can hope to achieve the kind of season that we had this year, but the motivation comes from the driving part, and trying to get the best out of myself every single weekend. I really always try to be as close to perfect as possible. I know that it’s impossible to be perfect, but I try to get as close to it as I can. That’s what motivates me.
ESQ: The Michael Jordan documentary series, The Last Dance, shows that ultra-competitive edge that Jordan had – where he had to win at everything, all the time. Do you relate to that level of competitiveness?
MV: I can relate, but it’s a bit different. As part of the Bulls, Jordan rely on the players around him and, in turn, try to lift them up to his level. While Formula One is a team sport, ultimately, when I’m in the car, I’m the only one who can control it, and no one can influence that. My team builds the car and plans the strategy, but after that it’s up to me to deliver.
ESQ: But you’re not the person who needs to be first at everything?
MV: No, no, I’m not like that. Just on the racetrack.
ESQ: Since the beginning of your career, people are always trying to delve into who the man behind the racing helmet is. How difficult was that to handle as a racer, and how have you learned to embrace it?
MV: At the end of the day, I’m the same person with the helmet on or off. It doesn’t really change a lot – I say what I want to say, and if I don’t want to say something, I don’t say it. It’s a pretty straightforward approach.
ESQ: Did or does the increased hype and visibility of the sport phase you?
MV: I don’t really think about it too. I’m not really interested in being a superstar or being on billboards, I just want to be on the top step of the podium at the end of the weekend.
That’s what I worked for. That’s why I wanted to be in F1.
ESQ: Over your F1 career, you’ve had multiple teammates at Red Bull. Who have you learnt the most from?
MV: I was pretty young when I first joined Red Bull, so naturally when your teammate is more experienced than you listen more to his feedback. I certainly learned a lot from Daniel (Ricciardo) when we were teammates, but then over time you learn your own way around the car and understand better what you need and want from it. There is definitely a point when that shift happens – when you stop looking to your teammate for advice and look to yourself instead.
ESQ: When was that moment for you?
MV: It was throughout the 2016 season. Obviously I had just joined and my time behind the wheel of an F1 car was pretty limited. I didn’t really know that car that well, and so I looked to advice from others. As the season progressed, I grew into it and developed my own feel and way of working – so I would say it was towards the end of that 2016 season.
ESQ: Speaking of ‘time’, you continue to have a long-standing relationship with TAG Heuer, and you’re currently wearing a TAG Monaco. Why that watch in particular?
MV: I love this watch because it is pretty versatile, and because it has a pretty iconic history attached to it. I was actually gifted this by TAG Heuer in Monaco, but I like the fact that it has a distinctive square case and, it was presented to me with two red stars on the back of it to represent the two world titles I won. I should probably get a third one added to it now!
ESQ: Speaking of your third World Championship, looking back at this season what rating are you giving yourself out of 10?
MV: I don’t like rating my seasons, because I’ve always found it really difficult to put a number on it. I mean, it’s been an incredible season – something that I never thought was possible. So yeah, if I was to give it a number, it would be something pretty high. I would never, ever give myself something like close to a ten. There are always things that can be done better. I’m always trying to look for perfection, and a ten is perfection, so I will always work towards that.