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For the first time in the turbo-hybrid era, Mercedes have a real challenger. Red Bull and Max Verstappen look set to go the distance in this year's championship battle. The Dutchman believes that having a worthy car is a great motivator for the rest of the season. Verstappen spoke about his chances in the 2021 season with the new RB16B. He believes that his performances will improve with a title-challenging car at his disposal.
Speaking to Autosport, Verstappen said:
"I'm just looking forward and hoping of course that I have a car to be in a championship fight, because then that's where I think I am even better, because then it's a lot nicer and a lot easier to deal with."
Max Verstappen feels Red Bull are in a better situation
Red Bull and Verstappen had a bright start to the 2021 season, despite falling short of the race victory at the season-opener in Bahrain.
The Dutchman topped the timesheets in all non-race sessions at the Grand Prix weekend. He also took pole from Lewis Hamilton by a margin of four-tenths. The Dutchman mentioned that it's much harder to be consistent with a slower car. This is because of the risks he has to take at every race to be competitive.
However, this year, Verstappen believes that Red Bull have given themselves the perfect opportunity to challenge the reigning champions:
"Overall, I think it's a much better situation to be in, than always just not. Because then you have to take a lot more risks all the time to try and get a good result out of it."
Verstappen claims that Red Bull can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Mercedes. The Dutchman added that having a good car makes the title charge much easier:
"I think once you are in that position anyway, with having a car to fight for the title, everything becomes a lot easier. Of course, there's pressure to win a championship, because you're fighting other people."
Max Verstappen is undoubtedly Lewis Hamilton's closest competitor this season. With a Red Bull car that suits current regulations, the Dutchman will be on the front foot when Formula 1 travels to Italy for the Imola Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen needs to make a statement on Sunday. The Dutchman was beaten despite having the fastest car at Bahrain. He will look to go one step further at Imola. A win at the iconic Italian track will truly set the stage for a championship battle of epic proportions.
