Max Verstappen Talks Formula One

Summary

Bloomberg Talks — Max Verstappen Talks Formula One

Date: January 16, 2026
Host: Bloomberg
Guest: Max Verstappen, Four-Time Formula One Champion
Setting: Detroit Auto Show

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Episode Overview

This episode features a candid interview with Max Verstappen, four-time Formula One champion, at the Detroit Auto Show. The discussion spans the drama of the previous F1 season, major upcoming rule changes, his partnership with Ford, thoughts on sim and endurance racing, career longevity, and his well-publicized friendship with fellow driver Lando Norris.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Last Season’s Dramatic Finish

[00:38–01:24]

• Max reflects on the previous season’s rollercoaster: starting with a 104-point deficit and closing the gap to just two points by the last race.

• He stresses the importance of taking things “race by race” and notes a significant turnaround in competitiveness in the season’s second half.

  "We had a bit of a tough first half with some good moments and some bad moments... but second half was a lot more enjoyable."
  — Max Verstappen [00:55]

Adapting to Sweeping Rule Changes

[01:24–02:43]

• The interviewer highlights how Verstappen and his team must now adapt to the most serious F1 rule change in recent memory.

• Max sees such changes as anticipated, and not a shock, admitting the unknowns but embracing the fresh challenge.

  "You know that even heading into that season, right? So it's not like it comes as a shock. The team is prepared for that... sometimes it doesn't hurt to have a bit of a change."
  — Max Verstappen [01:45]

• On predictions for the new car, Max admits limited simulator time and reiterates adaptability as a driver’s core value.

  "What is always very important as a driver is that you can adapt quickly to the situation that you're in... You just need to be able to adapt quickly, learn quickly as well."
  — Max Verstappen [02:14]

Red Bull, Ford, and Technical Partnerships

[02:43–03:37]

• The addition of Ford as a technical partner is discussed, with Verstappen expressing excitement about Ford’s racing heritage.

  "It's great. It's a great opportunity as well... There is a massive heritage... So, yeah, I think everyone is just now just very keen to get started."
  — Max Verstappen [02:57]

• Asked about performance advantages (e.g., variable compression), Verstappen is pragmatic about technical developments but prefers to focus on driving.

  "From my side, I have to focus on the driving... I drive the car and I trust that from our side, you know, we, we always try to do our very best to get the most performance out of the... engine."
  — Max Verstappen [03:54]

Thoughts on New Car Size and Passing

[04:23–04:54]

• On the prospect of smaller, more nimble cars and potentially easier overtaking, Max is noncommittal, saying it's "too soon" to know and that real answers will only come once the cars are on track.

  "The cars, I think, look a bit nicer, you know, when they're a bit smaller and not as Wide. But yeah, once we get on track, then it's a bit easier to get a bit of an understanding..."
  — Max Verstappen [04:32]

Interest in Sim Racing and Supporting Young Talent

[04:54–05:54]

• Max is passionate about sim racing, both for enjoyment and talent development, mentioning assisting young drivers—some of whom have transitioned from sim to real racing.

  "We want to win whatever we compete in. I want to try and help young drivers, young people that don't have the opportunities... that all starts, of course, in the simulator."
  — Max Verstappen [05:16]

• He’s proud of a sim driver on his team who has made the leap to real motorsport.

Career Longevity, Enjoyment, and Future Plans

[05:54–06:56]

• On his long-term career, Max focuses on enjoyment over numeric goals or emulating veterans like Alonso.

  "I don't really think about it too much. I think it's more important to just try and enjoy it. You know, if the enjoyment is there, then it's also easier to rock up and really demand everything from yourself."
  — Max Verstappen [06:08]

• He teases potential participation in endurance racing, such as the 24 Hours of Nürburgring or Le Mans, noting that it's a life goal but nothing is confirmed yet.

  "The plan would be nice, you know, if that's possible, but it's also very... very hectic first few months now in Formula one. So we have to wait and see. But... I want to do 24 hour races and I want to do endurance."
  — Max Verstappen [06:33]

• The “Triple Crown” (winning Monaco GP, Indianapolis 500, and Le Mans) is not a particular ambition; winning Le Mans is a clear priority if he enters.

  "Triple Crown, not so much for me personally. Yeah, I would love to do Le Mans and actually if you do it, you want, you want to try and win it."
  — Max Verstappen [07:05]

On His Friendship with Lando Norris

[07:14–07:29]

• Asked if he’s still friends with Lando Norris, Max assures their friendship hasn’t changed despite on-track rivalry.

  "Yeah, I mean that, that has never changed. It's always been the..."
  — Max Verstappen [07:23]

  "Got spicy. But it's also a bit of fun, you know... the media makes it always probably a bit more spicy than it actually is."
  — Max Verstappen [07:29]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We had a bit of a tough first half... but second half was a lot more enjoyable.” [00:55]
• “Sometimes it doesn't hurt to have a bit of a change.” [01:45]
• “What is always very important as a driver is that you can adapt quickly to the situation that you're in.” [02:14]
• “There is a massive heritage [with Ford]... everyone is just now just very keen to get started.” [02:57]
• “I want to try and help young drivers, young people that don't have the opportunities… that all starts, of course, in the simulator.” [05:16]
• “If the enjoyment is there, then it's also easier to rock up and really demand everything from yourself.” [06:08]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:38: Interview begins; reflecting on the last F1 season
• 01:24: Discussing F1’s major rule changes
• 02:43: Partnership with Ford and technical edge
• 04:23: Car size, agility, and passing
• 04:54: Sim racing and developing young talent
• 05:54: Career longevity and endurance racing ambitions
• 07:14: Addressing relationship with Lando Norris

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Summary Tone & Takeaways

Max Verstappen offers honest, calm, and optimistic insights, balancing the seriousness of competition with genuine passion for racing and driver development. He remains unflappable about change, is driven by enjoyment more than achievements, and is sincerely invested in the futures of young drivers and the sport itself.

This episode will appeal to F1 fans eager for a behind-the-scenes view of both the sport’s evolving landscape and Verstappen’s personal ethos.

Transcript

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[Podcast/Radio Host]

Bloomberg Audio Studios Podcasts Radio News we.

[Interviewer]

Are here at the Detroit Auto show with four time Formula one champion Max Verstappen. Max, the second half of last season was about as exciting as they get. You were at a 104 point deficit but ended up only missing out by two points in the last race. How did it feel to you?

[Max Verstappen]

Take it race by race? To be honest, you know, we had a bit of a tough first half with some good moments and some bad moments and bit of a tough start, but second half was a lot more enjoyable. Yeah. Also on the team side like, you know, you start to feel more comfortable, confident when things are going well. Of course, even in the second half we had a few tough races but overall way more competitive and I think it's always nicer to you had to end the season like that.

[Interviewer]

I mean it was a great way to end even if you know you didn't win the ultimate championship. But I can't imagine working that hard with that set of tools and then having to switch to a completely new set of tools this year in like this most serious rule change that Formula one has had, at least in my memory.

[Max Verstappen]

Yeah, but I mean, you know that even heading into that season, right? So it's not like it comes as a shock. The team is prepared for that. And it's also a bit of a new challenge. I mean I enjoyed the cars the last three years, but at the same time sometimes it doesn't hurt to have a bit of a change. It can also really upset of course the grid. You don't know. So yeah, we'll see how that goes.

[Interviewer]

How do you think the rule changes are going to benefit you as opposed to the rest of the group?

[Max Verstappen]

Honestly, I have no idea. I haven't even done that many laps in the simulator, so for me I will just see what happens when I sit in the car. I think what is always very important as a driver is that you can adapt quickly to the situation that you're in. If that is on a current car that you've known for a long time or a completely new car. You just need to be able to adapt quickly, learn quickly as well, because the cars will evolve, I think, also very quickly. But, yeah, I'm not too stressed about that, to be honest.

[Interviewer]

I mean, Red Bull is seen as the most, at least the most technologically advanced team in the world. And now you have Ford as a partner. I don't think any CEO, automotive CEO cares about racing more than Jim Farley. What does it mean to you working with Ford?

[Max Verstappen]

Yeah, it's great. It's a great opportunity as well. I'm just excited, you know, to get started. There is a massive heritage as well, you know, in racing as well. So, yeah, I think everyone is just now just very keen to get started.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, I think, like, of the former winners that have been powered by Ford, Jim Clark, Hill, Fit, A Poly, I mean, Jackie Stewart, like, it's such an illustrious list. It's almost like you're going to do DFV 2.0 with this new team.

[Max Verstappen]

Let's see. I mean, yeah, we hope, of course, to have a lot of success, but it's impossible to know. The only thing that I do know is that everyone is giving it everything they have.

[Interviewer]

What do you think about the development? We've heard that maybe you have found a bit of an edge with compression, variable compression. I guess there's going to be a meeting on January 2 about how this will work for you and Mercedes. Do you feel like you have an edge?

[Max Verstappen]

It's impossible to know. I mean, everyone is just trying everything they can and from our side, and especially from my side, I mean, I have to focus on the driving, you know, I'm not there to be the engine technician and we'll explain everything in detail to you. And at the end of the day, it's also something between the FIA and the car manufacturers who. To the engine manufacturers to. To sort out. I drive the car and I trust that from our side, you know, we, we always try to do our very best to get the most performance out of the, out of the engine.

[Interviewer]

Are you excited to have more nimble, a smaller, more nimble car? Is that more exciting for you? Because it'll be easier, I guess, in that instance, to pass.

[Max Verstappen]

I mean, it's a bit too soon to be able to say that, that it will be easier to pass? I have no idea. So, you know, everything is still unknown, you know, so the cars, I think, look a bit nicer, you know, when they're a bit smaller and not as Wide. But yeah, once we get on track, then it's a bit easier to get a bit of an understanding of what is all happening and going on.

[Interviewer]

Let's talk about your career outside of F1. I can hear the Sims going over there and I know you're deep into that with Redline. So what are you most interested in outside of racing on the track, which I'm sure is your main focus almost all the time, but in any spare time that you have.

[Max Verstappen]

You mean outside of like sim racing and stuff?

[Interviewer]

No, no, including sim.

[Max Verstappen]

It's, of course we want to win whatever we compete in. Right. I want to try and help young drivers, young people that don't have the opportunities also in real life, you know, to have an opportunity to actually then become a real racing driver. That all starts, of course, in the simulator. And yeah, it's just very exciting to see these young guys that started, what, 16 maybe in the team and see them grow as well over the years with the potential to maybe get a real life drive, which we have done last season with one of the sim drivers. And he's doing a really good job and it's just really nice to see how that is all progressing.

[Interviewer]

Do you think about that as a progression? I mean, do you have, for example, a certain number of championships in mind that you want to win before you can walk away, or are you still going to be starting races at. You know, alonzo is like 44 years old. Can you see that as a future for yourself?

[Max Verstappen]

It's all, honestly, like, it's just. I don't really think about it too much. I think it's more important to just try and enjoy it. You know, the enjoyment is there. Then it's also easier to rock up and really demand everything from yourself. And so far I'm still, you know, having that feeling.

[Interviewer]

You seem to be enjoying a little bit of GT racing, maybe ready to do a little bit of endurance racing. I hear you signed up for the 24 hours of Nurburgr.

[Max Verstappen]

Well, about that. There's still nothing confirmed yet. I mean, the plan would be nice, you know, if that's possible, but it's also very, you know, very hectic first few months now in Formula one. So we have to wait and see. But it's definitely my goal, you know, I want to do 24 hour races and I want to do endurance. And of course, having started with GT3 racing as well with the team, yeah, that's definitely the future plan.

[Interviewer]

Are you just aiming for an outright win at Le Mans or do you think about, for example, the triple Crown, is that something that enters the picture?

[Max Verstappen]

Triple Crown, not so much for me personally. Yeah, I would love to do Le Mans and actually if you do it, you want, you want to try and win it.

[Interviewer]

So in terms of my co anchor, Dani Burger, she's a huge F1 fan and she wants to know if you're still friends with Lando.

[Max Verstappen]

Yeah, I mean that, that has never changed. It's always been the.

[Interviewer]

Got a little spicy at the end of the last season.

[Max Verstappen]

Got spicy. But it's also a bit of fun, you know, in it just being, being like that. And honestly also the medium, the media makes it always probably a bit more spicy than it actually is.

[Podcast/Radio Host]

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