Verstappen ready to give it 'one final go' in Abu Dhabi

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Still wreathed in success from his outstanding win in the Brazilian Grand Prix, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen is ready to have "one final go" at next weekend's season finale in Abu Dhabi.

Yas Marina will close the curtain on a campaign in which Verstappen has delivered - so far - three race wins to Red Bull and to engine partner Honda, bringing the Japanese manufacture back to the fore for the first time since 2006.

The final round of the 2019 world championship takes place at a venue that doesn't have much in common with Interlagos, but Verstappen will give it his all to finish the year on a high.

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"After a great weekend in Brazil, the team is in good spirits to have one final go at it in Abu Dhabi," said the eight-time Grand Prix winner.

"We move from a flowing track like Interlagos to a tight and twisty circuit at Yas Marina where the car needs to be set up in a completely different way to Brazil in order to get the best out of it.

"This is always a challenge in Abu Dhabi as we transition between day and night practice sessions with FP2 the most important session as it gives you the most representative read of qualifying and race conditions."

Verstappen - or rather Red Bull Racing - was unable to challenge for the title this year, but there is still much cause for satisfaction globally for the 22-year-old charger.

"Looking back I think we can be pleased with our season this year, which is our first with Honda, and hopefully we can end it on a high this weekend before everyone breaks up for Christmas and New Year."

Next year, teams will race under the current regulations one last time before the sport ushers in what many believe will be a new era for the sport.

Verstappen's deal with Red Bull expires at the end of 2020, as do the contracts of many of his front-running rivals, leading to a whirlwind of speculation about who will go where in 2021.

The Dutchman is very much at the center of pundits' projections, although he's unfazed by the innuendo.

"I know the rumours and the speculation, but it really doesn’t affect me at all," he said.

"I know what I have and at the end of the day I know what I have to do, I have to drive as fast as I can. That’s what I enjoy.

"Whatever comes from the outside doesn’t bother me at all."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.