Verstappen's Take On Shattering F1 Records: 'I Don't Care'

Saturday, 23 December 2023 at 09:00

Max Verstappen said he does not care about breaking any of Formula One records that he did in the 2023 season.

The 2023 season was very special for the Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen. During the 19 races that he won, the triple World Champion broke many incredible records.

These records underlined the incredibly consistent, flawless, and dominant season that he and his team had. Max Verstappen gave his take on how he approaches records through an interview on his website:

"Of course I know where most drivers rank and which records there are, but really, I’m not too busy with records. Records also have to do with luck and if you’ve got a good car."

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The truth is, even if Verstappen was the best driver ever in Formula One, for which many would make an argument, he couldn't break any of the records if he was driving for a backmarker team.

"If I have a good car for seven or eight years, then I know logically I will break a number of records. But in the end I don’t care about records. It doesn’t matter to me if I break many or a couple of records."

The Dutchman has stated in the past his goal in Formula One was to win races and Championships and all the records are just by-products of achieving those.

"I didn’t get into Formula 1 to break records, I got into Formula 1 to drive and to win. Breaking records usually happens if you do the latter enough."

Throughout the season, Verstappen also achieved his 42 career race win (now he's at 54) by which he exceeded the legendary Ayrton Senna who had 41.

However, even that isn't too impressive to the Dutchman himself as he pointed out it is all relative because the racing calendar was only 16 races long in Senna's era.

"Yes, but also that record…. Now there are more races per year than there were back then. And like I said, you’re dependent on the type of car you have."

The 26-year-old stated always beating his F1 teammate is a lot more important to him and that is also something that he managed to do well this season as his Grand Prix head-to-head with Sergio Perez was 20:2.

"I consciously relativize these things. For me other things are more important. For example, always beating my teammate. That’s the most important. And that’s going alright, yes."