Verstappen has better figures than ever: "But last year I was also fit"

Max Verstappen got many questions about his fitness during the winter test and season opener in Bahrain. According to many, he was 'sharper' than last season. He would look slimmer and therefore also fitter. Verstappen denies he wasn't fit enough last season, but the numbers don't lie either.

Verstappen doesn't want to make it bigger than it is

"I'm fit and ready for the season," Verstappen told Autosport Magazine. "But I was fit last year too," he adds. The fact that people noticed he had lost some weight is not entirely coincidental either. The Red Bull Racing driver is indeed a bit lighter this season.

"Maybe I'm a kilogram lighter now, but that's about it. So yes, if you look purely at the numbers, I'm fitter than last year, but it's nothing shocking. It's not like I had problems last year or anything," said Verstappen, who clearly doesn't want to make more of it than it is.

"The thing is: once one person starts talking about it, it's soon on everyone's lips," said the Dutchman, who does have a new personal trainer since this season in Brad Scanes, who also indicated in a recent interview that Verstappen is in better shape than ever.