Doubts about Verstappen's motivation? Horner knows this for sure!

For some, it is 'just' a computer game. Others take it very seriously and have only one goal: to win. There is no doubt about Max Verstappen: he belongs to the latter group when he entered (and won) a virtual race at the Nürburgring last weekend. Just as Verstappen did not show saturation throughout the F1 season when his world title was already long and wide in the bag.

Christian Horner - Red Bull Racing's team boss - is not worried about Verstappen's motivation in 2024, even though the Dutchman has already won so much. "I think he'll be exactly the same, because he hasn't changed in the last four or five years. He's a racer. He wants to race. He wants to win," the Briton told GPblog and others.

'Verstappen wants to continue the line'

They are words Horner has repeated before in the past when characterising his top driver. The team boss repeats them fondly: "He's at one with the car. He's got so much natural ability and self-confidence in his own ability and faith in his own ability. I think he will just be looking to continue this train. And now it's up to us to give him the tools to be able to do that. Hopefully we can take some of the lessons from this car and apply it into RB20."

Verstappen doesn't seem to be worried about the latter. His team stopped further development of the RB19 months before the end of the 2023 season to shift all focus to the RB20. Friend and foe alike see Verstappen and Red Bull as the favourites for next year's world titles once again.