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Max Verstappen is hungry for more success fresh off the back of his maiden world championship last year. The 24-year-old broke Lewis Hamilton's stranglehold on the drivers' world title in dramatic fashion on the final lap of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Heading into his title defense in 2022, Verstappen confirmed he has no signs of slowing down just yet. During an interview after signing his new deal with Red Bull, the Dutchman said:
“Even after winning the championship, my ambition is still to win races and try to fight for the championship again, and also, now, we don’t need to think about it anymore. We know how long the contract is and we can just work together. Besides only trying to fight for wins and championships, I think what is important as well is to have a good time and have fun and actually enjoy your time in F1 as well.”
Verstappen has inked a mega contract with Red Bull that will keep him with the Milton Keynes-based outfit through until 2028. Reports suggest it could see him out-earn Hamilton.
Max Verstappen predicts 'completely different' Red Bull RB18 for Bahrain test
Max Verstappen has revealed that the Red Bull RB18 seen during pre-season testing in Barcelona was not the final form of the car. The Dutchman expects it to evolve further before the team hits the asphalt in Bahrain on March 10 for the second round of testing.
Despite a decent showing at the Circuit de Catalunya, the defending world champion feels there is room for improvement. During a media interaction, Verstappen said:
“It’s difficult to rate. What was positive is the car was running smooth, I was happy with the balance – but Bahrain is going to be completely different, so heading into race one, the car will be completely different as well. So for me, I just focussed on doing a lot of laps and try to really nail down every single aspect of the car.”
The Dutchman will also be running the #1 on his car for the forthcoming 2022 season, as is the right reserved by the reigning world champion. He will be the first driver since Sebastian Vettel in 2014 to do so.
