Verstappen second F1 title hasn't sunk in: 'It's crazy'

There was great confusion after the race, as where everyone was convinced that the party for Max Verstappen would be postponed for a while, the FIA proclaimed him the 2022 world champion. Among the Dutchman, now a two-time world champion, disbelief reigned.

Verstappen can't grasp it yet

"It's crazy," Verstappen laughed in the podium interview. "Very mixed emotions of course winning the race, but looking back now winning the championship. What a year we've had its been incredible."

Verstappen finds it hard to imagine that after last year's bitter struggle, Red Bull Racing has such a dominant car this year. "I am so thankful to everyone that has contributed to this success not only here but back at the factory that ar working flat out," he said.

"The work we've done with Honda all the way through to constantly improve and to win now twice with them is emotional, also to win it here with them watching," he adds. Verstappen admits there was some extra pressure in Japan anyway, but in a nice way.

First title more emotional, but second more beautiful

Asked which world title was more emotional for him, an obvious answer follows from Verstappen. "The first one is more emotional," he admits. "But the second one is even more beautiful With the season we've had, the team work and we are leading the constructors. We want to focus on that and secure that. It's been pretty special here and I think it's something you need to remind yourself of because these kind of years don't happen very often."

Because of the major confusion over the points scoring at the shortened race, Verstappen initially had no idea he had the championship in. In fact, at the time he crossed the finishing line, he still did not. "Crazy feeling, I didn't expect it when I crossed the line," Verstappen later told Sky Sports.

The now two-time world champion is very happy, though, that he finally managed to capture the title in Japan, where it is so important for Honda. " Incredible that we did win it here. We didn't know if it was half points, I didn't know how many points I was going to get," he continued. That's why he wanted to go for the fastest lap at the end, but the margin was too small to make a safe stop.

MAX VERSTAPPEN

TWO-TIME WORLD CHAMPION!!!#2TheMax #F1 pic.twitter.com/eOlI6B6un1

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 9, 2022

Max Verstappen, you are a DOUBLE WORLD CHAMPION pic.twitter.com/mViZ5woEit

— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) October 9, 2022