Max Verstappen reflected on his two title successes as he received the FIA Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship Trophy for the second time in his career.
The Dutchman strolled to the title this year, as Ferrari's challenge faltered and Charles Leclerc fell away. He made certain of top spot in early October after winning the Japanese Grand Prix, but had to wait until Friday to receive his trophy.
It was handed to him, as is tradition, at the FIA Prize Giving Gala, taking place this year in Italy. And ahead of the ceremony he took part in a press conference in which he was asked which of his two championship success to date he enjoyed the most.
Both were very different. In 2021, an almighty scrap with Lewis Hamilton went down to the wire and was decided acrimoniously with an overtake on the last lap in Abu Dhabi. It was much easier for Verstappen this year, with Mercedes struggling with a car which was not as competitive and Ferrari stumbling and making a litany of mistakes.
Reflecting on the differences between his two title-winning seasons, Verstappen said: "The emotions are very different, but I think they should be anyway because your whole life you aim for one particular goal and that's to become a world champion for me in F1. So the first one is always an emotional one once you achieve it.
"But this year has been very different. I do think we were more competitive this year, and more enjoyable with how we performed as a whole team. We won the drivers' and the constructors' – we had a lot of victories as a team, so I would say this one is better and more rewarding. But the first one will always be more emotional.
"This year has been really, really enjoyable. Last year was the first time I was in a fight to win a title, so that was the first time you get that kind of experience. As a driver you learn from every single year, you get more experience and you look at what you can do better.
"And you know that when you have to fight for a title, you have to score points basically every race, as much as you can. That's why, of course, at the beginning of the year it was very tough to have those DNF's, but I knew from that point onwards I couldn't afford any mistakes from my side in case we would have a retirement for whatever reason.
"So you always try to be as clean as you can be and try to be as perfect as you can every single weekend. It's what I try to demand from myself every time I jump into the car."
