--- title: "Max Verstappen Says He Doesn’t ‘Think About What Is Good for Formula 1’" date: "2023-09-21" modified: "2023-09-21" authors: - name: "Jerry Perez" job_title: "Deputy Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jerry-perez" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/max-verstappen-says-he-doesnt-think-about-what-is-good-for-formula-1" categories: - "F1" - "News" - "Racing" --- # Max Verstappen Says He Doesn’t ‘Think About What Is Good for Formula 1’ ![]() *\Getty \* I've been watching [Formula 1]() for almost 30 years, which means I've endured several periods of dominance from various teams and drivers. They've all had their pros and cons, of course, but one thing is certain in F1: Nothing lasts forever. Last weekend's race in [Singapore gave fans a small taste]() of what F1 could be like without an overly dominant car, but expecting that to be the new norm is wishful thinking. [Red Bull Racing and Max Verstappen]() will go back to their winning ways until their luck and performance run out. And based on the soon-to-be three-time champ's recent comments to the media, everyone will just have to deal with it until then. "I don’t think about what is good for Formula 1," Verstappen told the media in Japan, according to *[ESPN]()*. "I don’t think it’s necessarily bad what's happening to Formula 1 because we were just better than everyone else. And if people can’t appreciate that, then you’re not a real fan." In regards to Red Bull's drop in performance in Singapore, Verstappen owned the situation and said that they were beaten fair and square. This can be interpreted as him being an extremely fair competitor who's willing to accept defeat, or someone overly confident that this won't happen again anytime soon. ![]() *Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix winner Carlos Sainz lifts his trophy on the top step of the podium. Getty Images* "That’s how it goes," added Verstappen. "We didn’t perform and other people did a better job than us. Then of course they deserved to win. For me, it was just we got beaten in a very clear way. They shouldn't win because people say it's boring that we are winning. "I mean, yeah, we stopped winning for one race, shit happens. We won ten in a row before that! Of course, I would have liked to win there as well but I also know there is always going to be a day or a weekend where you are not winning and things go wrong." While race commentators on TV would sometimes like us to believe that Ferrari, Mercedes, Aston Martin, and even McLaren have improved enough since the summer break to catch up to the bulls, that's just not the case. These teams—along with Williams—have surely gotten faster and narrowed the performance chasm, but as much as many fans would like (myself included), they are still far from Red Bull's real race pace. It's likely that we'll see the Ferraris and even Mercedes fight for podiums and maybe a lucky win here and there, but unless something catastrophic happens, Verstappen and Red Bull have 2023 locked down, and the reigning world champion doesn't seem to care how you feel about that. *Got a tip? Email us at tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Jerry is responsible for upholding The Drive's ethos as an audience-first, enthusiast-driven car blog that serves up industry-leading news, reviews, culture, and motorsport coverage. Overseeing a staff of writers and editors from his home base in Indianapolis, he helps curate the site's daily rundown, as well as its medium- and long-term content strategies. Jerry joined The Drive in 2018 as a writer and worked as news editor and managing editor before becoming the deputy in 2023. As a lifelong car enthusiast and racing fan, Jerry believes that all cars are cool, but the people behind the machines are even cooler. This belief often gives The Drive a slightly different focus from most other car sites, where we explore the humanity behind the machines. When he's not obsessing over the day's biggest stories or hanging out at a race track, Jerry can be found behind the wheel of a car, most likely sharing a laugh with his teenage son or daughter. ### Author social links [Instagram]()