Max Verstappen is going into the Formula 1 title race in Abu Dhabi after pulling off an amazing 104-point comeback. He is now right in the middle of a three-way fight for the championship. Just eight races ago, the Red Bull driver looked completely out of the race, sitting 104 points behind the leader. Now everything has changed. Verstappen is only 12 points behind McLaren’s Lando Norris and sits four points ahead of Oscar Piastri.
This Sunday’s race is the first time in 15 years that three drivers are fighting for the title in the final race. Even with so much at stake, Verstappen stays calm as he gets ready for the race at the Yas Marina circuit. When talking to BBC Sport, Verstappen explained his intense racing style with one strong statement. “I’m too… driven,” Verstappen said, adding that he won’t accept anything less than perfect. “Because I never settle for not good enough.”
That drive is exactly why he made such a huge comeback during the season. His biggest gap came after Piastri won the Dutch Grand Prix. Even though Red Bull found better performance at the Italian Grand Prix in early September, Verstappen says he’s only back in the fight because McLaren started making mistakes. The McLaren drivers made errors, and the team did too. Verstappen thinks the main reason for his comeback was “All of it,” meaning McLaren’s internal battle and their mistakes combined with Red Bull’s improvement.
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His rivals are genuinely terrified of his relentless mentality
“It doesn’t matter if we finish first, second, or third. I know that I had a really good season, and that’s fine,” Verstappen said. “Already being in this fight is a bonus. Even if then we don’t win it, it’s not going to be stinging. Because I know where we lost it and I know that in general we have not been the quickest team.”
Verstappen’s fiery temperament was on full display when he exploded at Pierre Gasly during a recent incident in Qatar. He gladly accepts that incident as his “only imperfection” this season.
Verstappen’s current spot is surprising, especially considering the chaos Red Bull went through during the season. The team’s struggles started a year ago, and things weren’t getting better, which led shareholders to fire Team Principal Christian Horner.
Laurent Mekies took over from Horner, bringing a “very different personality” and a more technical approach to the team boss role. Verstappen says he always had a great relationship with Horner. He understands that when a successful team struggles without clear direction, management sometimes needs to make a big change.
This uncertain time also made Verstappen seriously think about joining another team. He confirmed he talked with Mercedes over the summer. He explained that a change for him isn’t just about finding a faster F1 car. There are many things to consider, including future roles and things he does outside F1, that all need to fit together. The Formula 1 paddock has seen its share of bitter feuds between former teammates over the years. He stayed because Red Bull “feels like a second family,” which is hard to find elsewhere.
“I just do my thing. I just don’t really get excited about that kind of fact. I’m quite flat, I guess, in emotions in that sense,” Verstappen said ahead of the Abu Dhabi race. A calm and composed display from the Dutchman can lead him to another spectacular title.
Published: Dec 5, 2025 01:00 pm