The full details of the investigation into the events of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will supposedly be published over the course of this weekend in some form or other.
Max Verstappen could not be less interested in its details, his sentiment being that “people overreact after a season end like that”.
However many pages there proves to be, it crucially does not change the outcome of one of the most thrilling drivers’ championships in the sport’s rich history.
Last season ended in a cloud and, with the ludicrous delay in the FIA report’s publication three months later, this one begins with conversations still harking back to Yas Marina.
There will long be those who will argue that Lewis Hamilton was robbed of an outright record eighth world title and suggestions it still tarnishes Verstappen’s inaugural championship triumph.
Any sense that Verstappen feels he has a point to prove and is motivated to win a title without controversy or doubt could not be further from the truth. His message is simply: “I still won”.
He said: “About last year, people always think about the last race but just look throughout the whole season. This is what is the most important. I think most of them should feel lucky there was a championship fight up to the end because of all the stuff that happened to me throughout the year.”
Verstappen clearly felt unfairly vilified, at points, by the sport’s authorities in his various comings together with Hamilton on track, the sense being he may well have wrapped up the championship much earlier had certain rulings gone for him rather than against.
While only hypothetical, is there a sense he would have felt aggrieved had the drama of Abu Dhabi been against him and in Hamilton’s favour?
“Not so much because clearly the last few races we were lacking a bit of pace,” he said. “If we would have naturally lost out, you just think of the points you lost with the crash, being taken out, a tyre blowout, those kind of things. Well, that’s bad luck but that’s racing. At the end of the day, bad luck or unfortunate situations like that in Baku, they belong in the sport.”
In his eighth season in F1 at the age of 24, things have obviously changed going into tomorrow’s qualifying session as the defending world champion. But any sense that he now has a target on his back are dismissed by the Dutchman.
“I mean what target?” Verstappen said. “I’m just out here to do a good job and try to improve myself even more every single year. I don’t really feel like there is a target.
“For me, it doesn’t matter if you’re the hunter or the one hunted because you are so dependent on your car anyway. I know if I have a good car I can win again and that’s what I, of course, hope for.”
If the six days of testing are to be believed – first in Barcelona and then in Bahrain – Verstappen and Red Bull are the team to beat as they proved to be at the start of 2021.
Technical boss Adrian Newey’s interpretations of the rule changes seem to have been on point, Verstappen’s car devoid of the porpoising issue, which sees drivers visibly shaken in the cockpit down the straights, Hamilton included.
Verstappen, meanwhile, is unconvinced by Hamilton’s suggestion Mercedes are struggling, point to pre-season articles sent to him by a friend dating back to 2017 making similar claims each year.
“Of course, they have little issues,” he said. “They don’t want to show anything. They for sure will be good.”
The big change, in his predictions, is that Ferrari will also be scrapping at the front from Bahrain onwards.
As for Hamilton, at 37, the Briton is still as motivated as ever, in part driven by the controversy of the last race in the Middle East. But suggestions of a different approach from Hamilton, do not leave Verstappen unduly concerned.
“It’s fine to me,” he said. “Everyone can change or think they can do better every single year. From my side, I always look at myself and I think you naturally want to do better every single year. But at the end of the day it doesn’t matter if people suddenly think they are better or faster. For me, it’s all about focusing on myself.”
For Verstappen, in many ways it is like nothing has changed despite sporting the No1 on the front of his Red Bull. As has always been the case, he just wants to race.
“It feels good,” he said of being defending champion. “I’m ready to go again. Last year was an amazing season for me but I’m just very excited to do it all over again, to try to fight for wins and see where we end up.”
The hope is not in a barrier as at Silverstone or in the stewards’ office as at other races. If Hamilton proves to be his main rival, so be it. Amid all the acrimony, he insists things are “all good”, the pair briefly catching up on the grid in Bahrain this week.
It could yet again be a rivalry for the ages but, Verstappen says: “I’m just happy I’m in a championship fight and, at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter who it is against.”
