Max Verstappen never loses his sense of humor. Returning to the Sepang International Circuit, where he claimed his second Formula 1 victory in 2017, the Red Bull Racing driver quipped about Malaysia's scorching heat. "I think I had four or five months of very intense preparation. Yeah, deep mental preparation of not giving an Fg!" he laughed, as quoted by Motorsport.com. "So, yeah, just rock up. It's hot, but it's also hot in Monaco and it gets very humid there as well and if you really want it hot, you go into the sauna or a steam room. I do that sometimes. You just need to get comfortable with the uncomfortable, but that's the case for everyone. It's hot, sweaty and you need a few more under wears, I guess! But just go with the flow."
Despite the jokes, Verstappen remains serious about his ambition. He has finished on the podium in six of the last eight races, but a win still eludes him. "It's true that we are scoring quite a few podiums now, but I want to win," he asserted. Should he fail to win, it would be the first time since 2015 that Verstappen and Red Bull have gone an entire season without a victory. The pressure is mounting, especially with Mercedes reportedly bringing upgrades that could make his task even harder.
Sepang holds a special place in Verstappen's heart. The circuit last hosted F1 in 2017, and Verstappen is the most recent winner there. "I always enjoyed racing here because I really liked the track layout. It was not very straightforward because there was always high degradation and just very hot in general, so quite uncomfortable to drive in a way, physically," he recalled. "There are great memories, but I had to get used to this paddock again. It's been a bit too long!"
The heat and rough asphalt of Sepang present unique challenges, especially with the 2026 cars focusing heavily on energy management. Drivers must carefully manage recharge and deployment, while tyre degradation remains high. "It's going to be a physically tough race, but I think all drivers face the same thing," he added.
Verstappen also highlighted the competition with Mercedes, who continue to develop their car. "We know Mercedes will bring upgrades, so we have to work harder," he said. Nevertheless, he remains optimistic about fighting at the front.
F1's return to Malaysia after a nine-year absence has been eagerly awaited by fans. Verstappen admitted he is happy to be back in a country with a huge fan base. "I remember the atmosphere was fantastic, and I hope it will be the same this year," he concluded.
Read Also
Sepang kembali ke F1 2026 sebagai tuan rumah GP Bahrain. Tantangan cuaca ekstrem, permukaan abrasif, dan degradasi ban tinggi akan menguji strategi tim.
Will Buxton memperingatkan Ferrari agar tidak mengganti Fred Vasseur dengan Christian Horner. Ia menilai langkah itu nonsens dan bisa merusak progres tim.
Audi mengumumkan pembangunan kampus F1 baru di Hinwil, Swiss, yang dijadwalkan rampung 2030. Mattia Binotto menyebut fasilitas ini kunci menarik talenta terbaik.
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!