Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Bloomberg Audio Studios. Podcasts. Radio. News. We are here at the Detroit Auto Show with four-time Formula One champion Max Verstappen. Max, the second half of last season was about as exciting as they get. You were at a 104-point deficit but ended up only missing out by two points in the last race. How did it feel to you?
Chapter 2: What challenges did Max Verstappen face in the second half of last season?
Take it race by race, to be honest. We had a bit of a tough first half with some good moments and some bad moments and a bit of a tough start. But second half was a lot more enjoyable. Also on the team side, you start to feel more comfortable, confident when things are going well. Of course, even in the second half, we had a few tough races, but overall, way more competitive.
And I think it's always nicer to end the season like that.
I mean, it was a great way to end, even if, you know, you didn't win the Ultimate Championship, but I can't imagine working that hard with that set of tools and then having to switch to a completely new set of tools this year in, like, this most serious rule change that Formula One has had, at least in my memory.
Yeah, but I mean, you know that even heading into that season, right? So it's not like it comes as a shock. The team is prepared for that. And it's also a bit of a new challenge. I mean, I enjoyed the cars the last three years, but at the same time, sometimes, yeah, it doesn't hurt to have a bit of a change. Yeah, it can also really upset, of course, the grit. You don't know.
So yeah, we'll see how that goes.
How do you think the rule changes are going to benefit you as opposed to the rest of the group?
Honestly, I have no idea. I haven't even done that many laps in the simulator. So for me, I'll just see what happens when I sit in the car. I think what is always very important as a driver is that you can adapt quickly to the situation that you're in.
If that is on a current car that you've known for a long time or a completely new car, you just need to be able to adapt quickly, learn quickly as well, because the cars will evolve, I think, also very quickly. But yeah, I'm not too stressed about that, to be honest.
I mean, Red Bull is seen as the most, at least the most technologically advanced team in the world, and now you have Ford as a partner. I don't think any CEO, automotive CEO, cares about racing more than Jim Farley. What does it mean to you working with Ford?
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Chapter 3: How did Max Verstappen adapt to the new Formula One rule changes?
Is that more exciting for you because it'll be easier, I guess, in that instance to pass?
uh i mean it's a bit too soon to to be able to say that that it will be easier to pass i have no idea so you know everything is still unknown you know so the cars i think look a bit nicer you know when they're a bit smaller and and not as wide um but yeah once we we get on track then it's a bit easier to get a bit of an understanding of what is all happening and going on
Let's talk about your career outside of F1. I can hear the sims going over there, and I know you're deep into that with Redline. So what are you most interested in outside of racing on the track, which I'm sure is your main focus almost all the time, but in any spare time that you have?
You mean outside of sim racing and stuff? No, no, including sims. Including what? Of course we want to win whatever we compete in. I want to try and help young drivers, young people that don't have the opportunities also in real life to have an opportunity to actually then become a real racing driver. That all starts of course in the simulator.
It's just very exciting to see these young guys that start at 16 maybe in the team and see them grow as well. over the years with the potential to maybe get a real life drive, which we have done last season with one of the sim drivers and he's doing a really good job and it's just really nice to see how that is all progressing.
Do you think about that as a progression? I mean, do you have, for example, a certain number of championships in mind that you want to win before you can walk away or are you still going to be starting races at, you know, Alonso's like 44 years old? Can you see that as a future for yourself?
Honestly, I don't really think about it too much. I think it's more important to just try and enjoy it. As long as the enjoyment is there, then it's also easier to rock up and really demand everything from yourself. And so far, I'm still having that feeling.
You seem to be enjoying a little bit of GT racing, maybe ready to do a little bit of endurance racing. I hear you signed up for the 24 Hours of NĆ¼rburgring.
Well, about that, there's still nothing confirmed yet. I mean, the plan would be nice, you know, if that's possible. But it's also very, you know, very hectic first few months now in Formula One. So we have to wait and see. But it's definitely my goal. You know, I want to do 25-hour races and I want to do endurance.
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