Max Verstappen has insisted that his critics are ‘jealous’ of his success as he prepares to chase a fifth successive Drivers’ Championship title. The reigning champion will renew his rivalry with Lando Norris at this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, the first event of the 2025 season.
Norris has been widely tipped as the favourite to clinch the end-of-season honours, with McLaren boasting the quickest car on the grid. Verstappen, however, will be desperate to upset the odds and maintain his title-winning streak. He will start from third place in Melbourne, having struggled to match the pace of his McLaren rivals in qualifying.
Verstappen’s aggressive style of driving often attracts criticism from fans and pundits alike, leading to a less-than-favourable reputation in some quarters. He was loudly booed at last month’s F1 75 launch event in London and later threatened to boycott future versions of the event.
Quizzed on why he believes some people do not appreciate his achievements, he told The Guardian: “They’re just jealous. Jealous of success. My dream was to get to F1 and be successful. I’ve achieved that and people that can’t appreciate that. They’re jealous.
“That’s fine for them. But it’s not correct, because jealousy doesn’t bring you anywhere in life. I don’t do it for the people. I’m not there to please people that don’t appreciate me.
“You create your own success and I’ve created my own success with very important people around me. Of course, part of that success is with the team. All these people that I’m working with and that are close to me.
“They value that success. That’s what it’s about and I am very happy with what I have achieved in this sport. That is the most important thing.”
Verstappen has repeatedly stated that he will never change the driving style which has given him so much success, no matter how much criticism is aimed in his direction.
“I don’t tell you or someone else how they should live their lives or what they should do in life,” he added. “Everyone should just focus on themselves. I think my behaviour is good. If someone else disagrees, that’s their problem. It’s not my problem, is it?”
It remains to be seen if Verstappen will be able to win a fifth Drivers’ Championship title in 2025, with the likes of Norris and Piastri hoping to provide stiff competition.
He went public in his criticism of Red Bull after they slipped away from McLaren last season, with the 27-year-old never afraid to demand more from those around him.
“My relationship with them didn’t change because we are always very honest with each other,” he explained. “If I make a mistake it’s also said. We have a very open relationship, we’re very straightforward, so when it’s good it’s good, when it’s bad it’s bad.
“That’s how we approach it. That works the best if you want to perform at the highest level. It’s how I grew up. When things need to be said, they are said. Some people take that a bit more easy, it’s a personality thing but overall it is well-received. We are all part of the process.”
