Max Verstappen: Dutchman doesn't want repeat of 'not healthy' 2021 F1 campaign

Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen has said that he wants to avoid a repeat of the 2021 season in terms of the drama and controversy it threw up as he has said that it was ‘not healthy’ for either driver or either of their teams.

Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton played out an epic duel across the entirety of the 2021 campaign but at times the pressure of the situation definitely told with a number of high-profile flashpoints between the drivers on track and their teams in the pitlane and stewards room.

Indeed, it was a tumultuous campaign just as much as it was entertaining for the fans and, of course, it is easy to forget the toll it must have taken on those at the coal face as they went wheel-to-wheel for victory every single Grand Prix.

Both Max and Lewis did their best to try and keep a lid on things over the course of the campaign but the Dutchman admits that he would like to avoid the levels of drama that 2021 produced being repeated every single season.

Speaking to the printed version of The Guardian earlier this week, he said: “You can’t have that drama every single year, for sure.

“It’s not good for me, it’s not healthy for anyone in the team – both teams.”

Certainly, the pressure was incredibly high and Verstappen believes now he has won his maiden crown he has had a bit of that alleviated as he has set out to do what he always wanted:

“That little pressure in the back of your mind, of having to win a World Championship or trying to win it, has gone,” he said.

“It’s already happened. I’ve done it. So when it’s tough or you’re having bad luck you probably will deal with it easier than normal.”

2022 will soon be upon us, meanwhile, with Red Bull revealing Max’s car later on this afternoon.