Max ahead of Canadian GP: 'Focus on improving'

Published on 21 May 2026 by Stefan Meens

Following an impressive debut at the Nurburgring 24 Hours, Max Verstappen returned to the Formula 1 paddock ahead of this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix. Before previewing the upcoming round in the F1 championship, the Oracle Red Bull Racing driver reflected on his adventure at the Nordschleife.

“I think in general it was a good week. I really enjoyed it. It was my first long distance race and everything went well. We had a car in good shape and we executed everything well. But that’s racing; it’s still a mechanical sport and it cost us the win. We controlled everything up until that point”, explained Max.

“Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the whole experience like the changing conditions and sharing a car with teammates. There are a lot of different types of racing, but this one has always been on my list and it’s something I want to keep doing.”

With his focus firmly back to F1 ahead of the Montreal weekend, Max also addressed the updated regulations for the 2027 season in which the internal combustion engine (ICU) will provide 60% of the power, with the battery the remaining 40%. “It’s a step in the right direction. It’s what I hoped for and it’s what the sport needs. I want a good product in F1 and this will help”, said the four-time champion.

Ahead of the Canadian Sprint weekend, Max remains realistic: “A sprint weekend is always hectic, but we’ll just to deal with it. Miami was a good step forward, but every weekend will be a development race, depending on what every team brings along.”

The Dutchman added: “It’ll be a completely different feel and lay-out, but hopefully we can be near the top three. We’ll keep focussing on improving and to stay in the fight. The team are motivated and excited to go racing.”