While triple Formula 1 World Champion has little to fear after his season of dominance in 2023, the Red Bull driver is wary of what McLaren may unleash in 2024.
Asked to assess the past year and look ahead to the forthcoming 24-races, winner of 19 out of 22 GPs last year, Verstappen reflected: “Every year is a little bit different. It also depends, of course, on how good the car is going to be.
“But I think you also just rely a lot on your experience, you’ve experienced already a lot in your career and in F1 and you know that if you want to fight for a championship, the most important thing is the car.
“Beside that, your performances need to be very consistent and that’s something you have to try and achieve again. Every single year is a new challenge to try and do that.”
Max: Behind us it was really up and down
The combo of Verstappen and the mighty Red Bull RB19 was the toast of the sport, never has a driver so utterly dominated as he did, Verstappen explained: “We were the only team that was really consistent.
"Behind us, it was really up and down, one team second, then another team… That’s where the battle was quite close behind us. It will all depend on how much they will improve in the wintertime.
“The one I think that was most impressive behind us from where they started to where they ended was definitely McLaren. It looks like they might be very strong next year," predicted Verstappen, of McLaren whose Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri who were a niggle in his side on occasions last season.
The 26-year-old triple F1 World Champion will contest his tenth F1 season and will make his 186th Grand Prix when he lines up for the 2024 F1 season opener in Bahrain, aiming for his 33rd pole position and a remarkable 55th GP win. Verstappen is the outright bookies' favourite to bag a fourth title in 2024.
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