Drivers’ title in the bag, constructors’ title in the bag – it’s no surprise that Max Verstappen says he and Red Bull are already turning their attention to 2023 after a dominant showing in 2022.
Verstappen wrapped up his second consecutive drivers’ crown in Japan earlier this month, with Red Bull going on to claim their fifth constructors’ title – and first since 2013 – in Austin at the very next race.
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Asked what he had left to prove, in a season that has seen him tie Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel’s record of 13 wins in a single year (and with three races still to run) Verstappen replied: “It’s not about what’s left to prove, it’s more about learning more from the car, what we can apply to next year.
“Of course, we’ll try to win [the last three races], but that naturally comes if the car is in a good state, a good window, that’s what we always try to achieve. Luckily it was again good enough in Austin but here we have to work from zero because it’s a completely new car. That’s the same for everyone but I’m looking forward to it.”
Max Verstappen: Red Bull have been ‘pretty incredible’ in 2022 season
Asked about achieving that win record milestone, meanwhile, Verstappen looked back on what he termed a “pretty incredible” year – especially considering Red Bull’s fumbled start to the season, which saw Verstappen retire from two of the first three races.
“At the [start of the year] I think we were in a bit more of a difficult place, especially Australia was a very poor weekend for us,” said Verstappen. “The team really turned it around very quickly, the car became a lot more competitive and reliable, and that was definitely very important to turn it around.
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“Then we had a bit of luck as well, people dropping points. When you look back on the season so far, what we have done as a team has been pretty incredible.”
Red Bull are on a run of eight consecutive race victories heading to the Mexico City Grand Prix, where the attention will turn to team mate Sergio Perez – who last won back in Singapore – to see if he can notch up what would be a hugely popular home victory at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.