Berlin, Oct. 7 (BUS): Max Verstappen is not interested in winning the Formula 1 world championship, as he said losing in a tense duel with Lewis Hamilton would not be the end of the world for him.
“You can’t force things. You just have to work well and work hard together, and then we’ll figure out at the end of the season where that will put us, is that first, is this second? We don’t know,” he said Thursday.
Verstappen, who heads to the Turkish Grand Prix on Sunday, is two points behind seven-time world champion Hamilton by seven races, German news agency dpa International said.
“I always do my best and I know the team is doing their best too. And if it’s going to be, at the end of the year, first, of course that’s a great achievement and that’s what we’re working towards,” said the Dutchman.
“But even if we finish second, I think we’ll still have a great season and at the end of the day it won’t really change my life. I enjoy what I’m doing and that’s also very important. For me there I don’t have to worry too much, really.
“We are very comfortable, but we are also very focused, and of course we want to win – the whole team wants to win – so that mentality is there.”
Hamilton won the last race in Russia in dramatic fashion with a late rain in Sochi GB while Verstappen circled to second, from having to start from the back of the grid, to dramatically reduce damage.
Verstappen has received the net penalty for exceeding the three power units allowed in each season, and there is speculation that Hamilton could face the same situation early in Istanbul.
Hamilton, who claimed his seventh world title last year in Istanbul last year, said his off-track activities and interests help him in a tough duel with Verstappen.
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