Max Verstappen denies "easy" F1 dominance

Singapore Grand Prix

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Verstappen denies "easy" F1 dominance

Verstappen could clinch his second world title in Singapore this weekend

Sam Hall & Ewan Gale

Friday 30 September 2022 08:06

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Max Verstappen has dismissed suggestions his dominance of this year's F1 title race has been "easy" despite standing on the brink of a second championship.

The Red Bull driver bounced back from a dreadful start to the season to arrive in Singapore for this weekend's grand prix with a mathematical chance of securing back-to-back titles.

Comparing his success to that of last year's bitter battle against Lewis Hamilton, Verstappen identified a key difference as to why he has not dominated despite 11 wins this year, including the last five in a row.

“Last year, I always started first or second," said Verstappen.

"This year, I have also started way back and have still won the race. To be honest, they have also been really rewarding, like the race in Hungary for example.

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“Even Spa, it looks easy but you have to stay out of trouble on the first lap which wasn’t easy because everyone was all over the place and I was just trying to make sure I didn’t have any damage.

“Then again in Monza. A lot can happen in the first chicane but I put myself out of trouble by having a good start.

“Sometimes when you look back at the wins this year they look easy, but I have come from quite far [back].”

Verstappen still the same driver

Last year's championship was only decided on the last lap of the final race of the campaign in Abu Dhabi following a controversial safety car period.

In the races preceding that showdown, however, Verstappen had seen his championship lead erode as Hamilton secured three consecutive wins.

Highlighting another discrepancy, Verstappen added: “Last year, around this time, we just didn’t have a car really that was capable of challenging anymore for proper wins.

"We might have won a few on strategy, but I do think that at the moment, we have a stronger car, especially compared to what we had last year. It’s also a bit different from that side.

"From my side, I always try to be better than I was the year before but I don’t think what I was doing at the end of last year to what I am doing now is very different.”