Verstappen: More titles in F1 would 'just be a bonus'

1st place and new World Champion, Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing RB16B. 12.12.2021. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 22, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina
© XPB 

Reigning F1 world champion Max Verstappen says that any additional titles that may come his way in the future will just be added bonuses that he will enjoy.

Last month in Abud Dhabi, Verstappen conquered – albeit in controversial circumstances - his maiden F1 crown, achieving the milestone in his seventh year in the sport, having started his path to glory with Red Bull in 2015 at just seventeen.

Ahead of last month's 2021 title decider, Verstappen revealed that missing out on the championship wouldn't change his life.

However, with his first title now under his belt, the Dutchman ambitions to win more although he admitted that equaling or beating the outstanding seven-title record held by his arch-rival Lewis Hamilton would require "a bit of luck".

"Everything that comes now is just a bonus and I am just going to enjoy it," Verstappen told former F1 driver David Coulthard in an interview for personal sponsor CarNext.

"You need a bit of luck to fight for seven or eight. You need a very dominant team as well to do that so you don't always have that luck or you are not in that era. Sometimes it doesn't happen."

Regardless of what the future may hold, Verstappen has achieved what he initially set out to do when he joined the elite in F1.

The twenty-time Grand Prix winner will now see just how far his career will take him.

"For me, I always wanted to win one and you will see where you go from there," he said.

"Everything that comes now is a bonus but that doesn't mean that if I lose a race... I will still be upset, but maybe a few minutes after I will say 'it's ok'."

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter