Max Verstappen has admitted he got here near quitting Crimson Bull throughout his turbulent title-winning season in System 1 this 12 months.
Verstappen sealed his fourth world title on the Las Vegas Grand Prix after he completed forward of Lando Norris to extinguish the McLaren man’s faint championship hopes for good.
However Verstappen’s success has come in opposition to a political backdrop that led him to rethink his place with the Milton Keynes squad.
The 27-year-old was caught up in an inside investigation into staff principal Christian Horner on the flip of the 12 months, along with his father Jos Verstappen embroiled within the bitter battle, a state of affairs which the youthful Verstappen labelled as “messy”.
Consequently, the Dutchman was overtly courted by Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who made no secret of the truth that he wished the Crimson Bull driver to interchange Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton.
Questions have been raised as as to if Verstappen would stop the staff and pressure by way of a transfer to the Silver Arrows.
And whereas Verstappen admitted he did take into consideration his choices, he has now pledged his future to Crimson Bull, saying he’s “loyal to the staff”.
When requested by Motorsport.com if there was any second he thought of leaving Crimson Bull for Mercedes, or certainly quitting altogether, he mentioned: “I feel in your life, yearly there are at all times ideas going by way of your head, from ‘How lengthy do I nonetheless need to do that? The place do I need to do that? How do I need to do that?’
“There are issues in your non-public life that occur, in fact. In your racing life, there are at all times issues that you must take care of and take into consideration.
“However that is high quality. [I’m] usually fairly relaxed about these items as a result of it is crucial to separate your non-public life and racing life.
“But it surely’s high quality to have these ideas in your head about what you need to do.
Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing RB20
Photograph by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Photos
“However on the similar time, I am additionally not somebody that makes very drastic choices. And I am simply very blissful the place I am at, in the meanwhile.
“I am very loyal to the staff. I admire, in fact, what they’ve carried out for me from choosing me up out of F3 and giving me an F1 seat after which going by way of all these feelings over all of the years with these key individuals within the staff.
“So, when there are robust instances, it’s extremely straightforward to say goodbye or overlook about it or ignore it. However I feel it is truly far more vital to really face them and undergo it collectively and take care of it and simply attempt to simply transfer on from there and focus again, in fact, on the efficiency facet of issues and have enjoyable on the market.
“That is on the finish a very powerful. In the event you’re not having enjoyable, then there is not any level to proceed.”
Horner had hailed Verstappen’s fourth title win as the very best of his profession, and when the Dutchman was requested if he agreed along with his boss, he added: “I feel so, too.
“Final 12 months, I had a dominant automotive, however I at all times felt that not everybody appreciated what we achieved as a staff, profitable 10 in a row.
“In fact, our automotive was dominant, nevertheless it wasn’t as dominant as individuals thought it was. I’ll at all times look again at [2023], as a result of even in locations the place possibly we did not have the proper set-up, we have been nonetheless succesful – as a result of within the race our automotive was at all times fairly sturdy – to win races.
“However I am additionally very pleased with this season as a result of for many of the season, I’d say for 70% of the season, we did not have the quickest automotive, however truly we nonetheless prolonged our lead. So that’s positively one thing that I am very pleased with.”
