Verstappen excited to "chill out" after Abu Dhabi

Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen has admitted he is excited to finally "chill out" after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Verstappen was involved in an almighty bust-up with Esteban Ocon last time out in Brazil, following a collision between the pair that cost the Dutchman a win in South America.

The 21-year-old is currently occupying P5 in the drivers' standings - with two wins and 10 podium positions - but Verstappen's season has perhaps been overshadowed by controversial collisions on the track.

Verstappen has admitted how much he is looking forward to "chilling out" after the last race is done in Abu Dhabi.

"Once the race is done the team can relax a bit, and have some well-earned downtime," the Dutchman told Formula1.com. "We of course have testing shortly after but I will definitely try to chill out and get some sun on the Monday. Before we know it, we'll be testing and working hard towards 2019 throughout the winter, which is very exciting."

Verstappen has also praised the atmosphere that surrounds the night race in Abu Dhabi: "Apart from being the last race of the year, Abu Dhabi is always a special one due to the atmosphere.

"The crowds are big and noisy, and being a sunset race adds to the unique feeling. After a busy few races I think everyone looks forward to getting to Abu Dhabi. The nice weather and a more relaxed feel in the paddock means everyone is smiling.

"The track itself is fun to drive, passing the yachts in the final sector has a similar feel to Monaco, but it's not as tight," the Red Bull driver continued. "There are some long straights that do not really play to our strong points but we will try to make up for this in the twisty sectors."