**Red Bull’s Verstappen Eager for First Win of the Season**
Max Verstappen, the four-time Formula One world champion, is expressing his determination to secure at least one race victory this season as he finds himself in an unusual sixth place in the championship standings after 15 rounds of competition. Despite his recent dominance in the sport, this season has proven challenging for the Dutch driver, who has managed only seven podium finishes thus far.
Verstappen's quest for a win has been marked by near misses, including two second-place finishes in his last races in Madrid and Baku. As he prepares for the upcoming race at Sepang, which is hosting a Formula One event for the first time in nine years, Verstappen acknowledges the uphill battle he faces against rivals like Mercedes, who currently lead both the drivers' and constructors' championships.
“Unfortunately, we’re not outscoring Mercedes. They’re actually the fast ones, or at least they were for most of this season,” Verstappen commented, reflecting on the competitive landscape. “I’m trying everything I can. We are scoring quite a few podiums now, but I want to win. That’s what I’m here for and I’m getting close. I want to at least win one race this year. So I hope we can do it at some point.”
Returning to Sepang has stirred memories for Verstappen, as he was the last driver to win at the circuit during his second career victory nearly a decade ago. However, he admitted to feeling a sense of disorientation upon his return. “I walked into the paddock and I had no idea where I had to go. So it’s been a long time,” he said. The 29-year-old expressed his fondness for the track, noting its challenging layout and the physical demands it places on drivers due to high tire degradation and hot conditions.
Verstappen also touched on the recent upgrades made to the Red Bull car, which he believes showed promise during the Baku race. However, he cautioned that the street circuit's characteristics have historically favored Red Bull, making it difficult to gauge the true performance of the car across different tracks. “So we have to wait a little bit now in the coming races to see how the car is going to perform, which is also quite good for us probably to see all these different kinds of tracks,” he stated.
Looking ahead, Verstappen sees the remaining races as an opportunity for learning and development, particularly since the team is not currently contending for the championship. “For next year we’ll learn a lot now, in these coming races, of what we need, what we want to do with the car. We’re anyway not fighting for the championship, so for us, it’s a big learning curve,” he explained.
As the season progresses, uncertainty looms over the final two rounds scheduled in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, with no official decision yet made regarding their status. Verstappen expressed his trust in Formula One and the FIA to make informed decisions regarding the races. “I love going there, but of course it has to be on the right terms,” he remarked. “I trust that F1 and the FIA will make the right decision because they have more information than we do. That’s what we rely on. I trust that they’ll make the right call.”
As Verstappen gears up for the challenge ahead, his focus remains on breaking through for that elusive first win of the season, a goal that fans and competitors alike will be watching closely in the coming races.