Verstappen: People who criticise me crossing the line don’t have a champion mentality

Max Verstappen has insisted he’ll maintain crossing the road racing in System 1 if he has to and prompt those that don’t perceive would not have the “world champion mentality”.

After a dominant begin, Verstappen and Crimson Bull got here beneath strain from McLaren and Ferrari in 2024 and the Dutchman was challenged for the drivers’ title by Lando Norris all through the second a part of the season.

That translated into on-track skirmishes in Austria after which in Austin and Mexico, with Verstappen handed two 10-second penalties in Mexico Metropolis for shoving Norris off the monitor.

Whereas fuelling additional discussions over F1’s racing guidelines, Verstappen obtained a barrage of criticism from McLaren, followers and media.

However reflecting on his 2024 marketing campaign, Verstappen says he has no regrets as a result of he feels it’s a necessity in F1 to cross the road at instances. In an end-of-season interview with Dutch F1 broadcaster Viaplay, Verstappen was reminded of McLaren CEO Zak Brown’s feedback in Mexico that “Max is such an superior racing driver, I simply do not assume it is advisable drive like that”.

Responding to Brown’s feedback and the overall backlash he confronted on his driving behaviour, the reigning, four-time world champion stated: “Sure, however they don’t have the world champion mentality. I’ll all the time go to the restrict to get essentially the most out of each race and if I’ve to pressure it, then that’s simply the way it goes. Typically you need to cross a line. Nicely, I do.”

Requested whether or not he has any regrets over how he edged Norris in direction of the wall in Mexico, he stated: “No, by no means in that race. I believe I received factors there.

“So like I stated, I’ll all the time do all the pieces to get the utmost outcome for a championship. And naturally, generally you need to go to the restrict or over the restrict and never everybody understands that. Not everybody has that mentality.”

Verstappen added the Mexico fallout, in addition to McLaren’s half-hearted use of group orders, have been some examples of McLaren’s relative lack of expertise in preventing for championships, stating Norris may have overwhelmed him to the drivers’ title because the group “completely” missed alternatives.

“They’ve had an excellent automobile this yr,” he stated. “However I believe it is also clear that they nonetheless had quite a bit to study, so to talk, to essentially continually compete.

“After all, they did nicely for the constructors’ championship, however they might have ready significantly better for the drivers’ championship.”

Further reporting by Laurens Stade