Verstappen on the season: 'Proud of what we've achieved already'

The 2021 Formula One title fight will have an amazing climax in Abu Dhabi. Ahead of the final race of the season, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have exactly the same number of points, so how it will all end? It's all a matter of guesswork but Verstappen is confident in any case.

The Dutchman said in a press release from his Red Bull Racing team that he is proud, regardless what happens. "We’ve had a lot of wins and good moments this year, and we’ve been a lot more competitive in general, compared to the years before", Verstappen said. "So as a Team, we can be very pleased and proud of what we have achieved this season. We are level on points and I know that we as a Team are going to give it all to win this Championship. This is going to be an exciting race and we want to finish the season in the best way possible.

Last season, Verstappen won the race in Abu Dhabi by a large margin. "First of all I’m excited to be back in Abu Dhabi! Last year is not always a good reference in terms of result as there were multiple factors that contributed to it. We've been lacking a bit of pace for the past few races but hopefully that won’t be the case this weekend."

A key difference from a year ago is the drastic changes to the track. "The Yas Marina Circuit has had a few changes and the track is much faster now. It’s going to be interesting to see how it will affect the setup of the car. It’s very important to have a good qualifying in Abu Dhabi so hopefully we can make that happen."