The Red Bull driver is on track for his second world title after dominating much of this season, and his first chance to finish comes at the Marina Bay circuit.
But with the title triumph out of his hands, as he needs remaining contenders Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc to not score well either, he doesn’t expect to clinch the crown this time around.
“I have to win, and Checo has to finish fourth or lower and Charles eighth or lower,” he said Thursday.
“It’s a bit unrealistic for that to happen. So I don’t really think about it.
“It’s long enough. And I just want to enjoy the weekend. And of course, try to earn it.
Although there was a lot of anticipation over Verstappen’s title opportunity this weekend, the Dutchman says he would actually prefer to win it in Japan next weekend.
As F1 returns to East Asia for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic, a home-field triumph for Honda would mean much more.
“I think Japan is nicer,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to going back. It’s been a long time. It’s an amazing track. And for me in any case, he has quite special memories.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, speaks to the media
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
“The first time I drove an F1 was there in FP1, and I will always remember that. And apart from that, yes, it’s kind of a home GP with Honda.
“And also, I think [it will be] my first real opportunity to win the title. So yeah sure, I’m looking forward to being in Singapore right now. But I’m also very excited for next weekend.
While an early end to the championship battle will be welcome for Verstappen to ensure a less stressful end to the campaign, he admits part of him would have liked Ferrari to do more fighting this year.
Charles Leclerc had started the year strong, winning two of the first three races and initially enjoying a 34-point advantage in the standings after the Australian Grand Prix.
However, a combination of poor reliability, strategy errors and driving errors derailed his and Ferrari’s campaign and opened the door for Verstappen to clear the standings.
When asked if any part of him wished Ferrari hadn’t dropped the ball, Verstappen replied: “I mean, [there are] two sides. Yeah, in a way, I wish they were still in the fight.
“But from my side, of course, it’s also good to win in a calmer way. But I think what’s already good to see is that they are very competitive this year compared to the last years, and I think that’s what F1 needed.”
The Red Bull driver is on track for his second world title after dominating much of this season, and his first chance to finish comes at the Marina Bay circuit.
But with the title triumph out of his hands, as he needs remaining contenders Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc to not score well either, he doesn’t expect to clinch the crown this time around.
“I have to win, and Checo has to finish fourth or lower and Charles eighth or lower,” he said Thursday.
“It’s a bit unrealistic for that to happen. So I don’t really think about it.
“It’s long enough. And I just want to enjoy the weekend. And of course, try to earn it.
Although there was a lot of anticipation over Verstappen’s title opportunity this weekend, the Dutchman says he would actually prefer to win it in Japan next weekend.
As F1 returns to East Asia for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic, a home-field triumph for Honda would mean much more.
“I think Japan is nicer,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to going back. It’s been a long time. It’s an amazing track. And for me in any case, he has quite special memories.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, speaks to the media
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
“The first time I drove an F1 was there in FP1, and I will always remember that. And apart from that, yes, it’s kind of a home GP with Honda.
“And also, I think [it will be] my first real opportunity to win the title. So yeah sure, I’m looking forward to being in Singapore right now. But I’m also very excited for next weekend.
While an early end to the championship battle will be welcome for Verstappen to ensure a less stressful end to the campaign, he admits part of him would have liked Ferrari to do more fighting this year.
Charles Leclerc had started the year strong, winning two of the first three races and initially enjoying a 34-point advantage in the standings after the Australian Grand Prix.
However, a combination of poor reliability, strategy errors and driving errors derailed his and Ferrari’s campaign and opened the door for Verstappen to clear the standings.
When asked if any part of him wished Ferrari hadn’t dropped the ball, Verstappen replied: “I mean, [there are] two sides. Yeah, in a way, I wish they were still in the fight.
“But from my side, of course, it’s also good to win in a calmer way. But I think what’s already good to see is that they are very competitive this year compared to the last years, and I think that’s what F1 needed.”
