SEPANG, Malaysia — Max Verstappen has set himself a goal of profitable one race in what’s left of the 2026 System 1 season, after lacking out by lower than two tenths of a second on the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Verstappen arrives at F1’s first race in Malaysia since 2017 with the prospect looming of a primary winless season since his rookie 12 months in 2015 as Purple Bull struggles to maintain up with Mercedes on the entrance regardless of latest enhancements.
“We’re scoring fairly a number of podiums now however I wish to win. That’s what I’m right here for and I’m getting shut, however I wish to a minimum of win one race this 12 months. So I hope we are able to do it in some unspecified time in the future,” Verstappen mentioned Thursday forward of this week’s race, which is branded because the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
“We’re anyway not combating for the championship, so for us it’s a giant studying curve, however the previous couple of weekends have been loads higher (than) firstly of the season.”
Verstappen’s determined cost in opposition to George Russell on the ultimate straight in Baku on Saturday led to his fourth runner-up end within the final eight races. He is sixth within the standings with barely half of chief Kimi Antonelli’s factors tally.
Precisely what number of races are left in 2026 for Verstappen to chase an elusive win stays unclear given the uncertainty over the ultimate two scheduled races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Eight are left on the schedule, together with these races, but when they can not go forward, F1 may go for one alternative occasion in Italy.
Requested which tracks may swimsuit his possibilities finest, Verstappen mentioned: “You don’t actually know as a result of it additionally is dependent upon what (upgrades) different individuals are bringing continually. I don’t actually care, to be trustworthy. So long as I win one, that might be good.”
