Max Verstappen was “frustrated” with losing to Lewis Hamilton

Max Verstappen had to make a big change to his mindset in order to deal with constantly losing to Lewis Hamilton. The two F1 stars have been rivals at the front of the grid for the last few years but it is Mercedes’ Hamilton who usually comes out on top.

The Silver Arrows are enjoying an unprecedented dominance having won the last seven Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships.

Hamilton has taken his career world title tally to seven, matching the great Michael Schumacher.

Red Bull’s Verstappen has been able to earn the odd race win along the way but he has yet to put up a sustained challenge.

The Dutchman used to let losing really get to him but he has been forced into rethinking his behaviour.

When asked if he was frustrated by Hamilton’s dominance, Verstappen said: “Initially I was like that.

“You would get a bit frustrated about it because you have that belief and [think] ‘it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen’; and every year it’s just not.

“This year I said to myself: ‘You know what, I can be frustrated all the time about not winning, but maybe I should just see it in a way that it’s not possible but I should just try to do the best I can and get the best out of myself and really find that enjoyable’, and that’s what I’m trying to do now.

“To get frustrated all the time, I don’t think you can last a full season like that.”

Verstappen cannot blame himself for finishing behind Mercedes as his Red Bull is an inferior car.

The youngster’s father, Jos, was ‘disappointed’ that Red Bull did not provide his son with a vehicle capable of challenging for the world title.

But after clear-the-air talks with the Milton Keynes-based bosses earlier this year, Jos is

“At the beginning of the season, I was – I wouldn’t say angry but disappointed,” he said.

“You hear always the story that [Red Bull could win the Championship] and then it doesn’t happen and I was really a bit angry that it, again, didn’t happen.

“The good thing is, we always discussed things together with Max and Raymond [manager Raymond Vermeulen], you know, and Raymond discusses it with Helmut [Marko, Red Bull advisor] and we sit together… and that’s the good thing, we can really talk about it.”

“And also we made the decision for a long-term agreement with [Red Bull] and to give them the chance that we win the World Championship, so we’ll have a go next year again, but I would love to challenge them and to fight for the Championship.

Source: express.co.uk