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Max Verstappen has reportedly already got some laps under his belt in Red Bull's new RB18.
According to a report carried by Dutch publication De Telegraaf, Verstappen was involved in a secret shakedown session of Red Bull's 2022 challenger. The session was under 100 kilometers long and both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez got an opportunity to drive.
A video on Twitter shows the Dutchman zooming past in a flash in the car he will use for his title defense in the upcoming season.
Red Bull did not reveal much about the filming session or shakedown, keeping in line with their secretive approach to the launch of the RB18. During the launch, team principal Christian Horner confessed that the car will change by the time the season starts in Bahrain. He said:
“With the new regulation changes this year, the whole philosophy has altered, which means every single component is different to last year’s car. It’s a clean sheet of paper for every single team. By the time we get to the first race, the RB18 won’t look much like it looks today, the evolution will be very quick as we progress through the season.”
"I really deserved it" – Max Verstappen believes he deserved to win 2021 F1 world championship
Max Verstappen feels his performances across the season made him a worthy champion in 2021. Despite many questioning the legitimacy of his win as a result of Michael Masi's controversial decision-making, the 24-year-old Dutchman firmly believes he deserves the title.
During an interview with The Guardian in the UK, Verstappen was asked if he had any doubts over his win. He said:
“Not at all. I had a very good season and I think I really deserved it. I have been really unlucky as well. People always remember the last race but, if you look at the whole season, the championship should have been decided way earlier.”
Verstappen has confirmed that he will defend his crown in 2022 whilst running the #1 on his car, as is the right reserved for the reigning world champion.
