Max Verstappen spoke during the Abu Dhabi GP 2025 press conference, delivering pointed comments toward Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri while demonstrating his calm and composed mindset ahead of the final race of the season.
McLaren, beware the wolf
Regardless of its outcome, the 2025 championship has highlighted the dominance of a truly exceptional driver. That driver is Max Verstappen, a four-time world champion who astonishingly arrives at the season finale with a chance to claim a fifth consecutive title, despite a noticeable disadvantage in car performance.
Following his victory in Qatar, aided by an incredible pit stop blunder by McLaren, Verstappen closed the gap to 12 points behind Lando Norris. At Abu Dhabi, he is expected to race aggressively, with nothing to lose, essentially making victory mandatory. He is already showing this “Super Max” mentality to the media, starting with the FIA-organized press conference where all three championship contenders were present together.
Max Verstappen speaks
The Dutch driver plays the outsider card, presenting himself as someone who reached the title showdown almost by chance, subtly highlighting McLaren’s errors. “These days, I spent some time with my daughter, tried to figure out some things for next year’s GT3 program, and worked on my sim racing team. My championship? Over a 24-race season, some weekends are better than others, and that’s normal. In many races, we didn’t have the pace to fight for victory, but here we are. Overall, I’m very proud of the season we’ve had and how we responded, especially in the second half.”
After emphasizing in front of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri that his ideal teammate “shouldn’t hide anything” during a race weekend, Max Verstappen also addressed a question about his parents in a way that sends a subtle message to his rivals: “My dad is racing in a rally in Africa, and my mom is at home with the dogs, which makes her much happier. I didn’t plan to be fighting at the last race; I think everything after Zandvoort was wiped clean. But we aren’t made differently. They know that when I’m in the car, I give everything I have. Of course, they provide all their support, and my mom always lights a candle before every race. But I just think they trust their son.”
– he pointed out ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend.
McLaren, consider yourselves warned. Super Max is relaxed, confident and coming for that fifth crown.
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