Max Verstappen hopes he will not "experience" a weekend like the Mexico City Grand Prix again for the rest of the season as he continues to pursue a record-equalling fifth-consecutive F1 drivers' title.
The Red Bull driver trails Lando Norris by 36 points — and Oscar Piastri by 35 — in the championship standings, and is looking to emulate Michael Schumacher's achievement of winning five in a row, with Ferrari from 2000 to 2004.
With just four rounds remaining, the Dutchman faces a considerable challenge to overcome the McLarens and despite making ground at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, feels he needed the weekend to "go perfect", which it did not.
After qualifying a relatively lowly fifth on the grid, Verstappen complained of having no grip, no traction, and no pace in his RB21.
The four-time F1 drivers' champion put in a superb performance to take third in the 71-lap race on Sunday, including setting 30 successive lap times in the 1:21s.
It could have been second, had it not been for the late Carlos Sainz-induced virtual safety car.
When speaking to media, including RacingNews365, it was put to Verstappen that he had reduced his deficit from 40 points to 36, but when he was asked how bullish he is feeling with four events to go, he replied: "I lost 10 [points] to Lando, if you look at it like that.
"So, I said before the weekend, everything needs to go perfect to win. And this weekend didn't go perfect. So that's your answer."
The Mexico City Grand Prix is an anomaly on the F1 calendar due to its high altitude. Sitting 2,238 metres above sea level, the air is around 20 per cent thinner and performance is widely contingent upon how well teams can cool its car and power unit.
The surface of the asphalt is also slippery and produces sliding through the corners, something that can contribute to the issues Verstappen was complaining of after the grid-setting session.
As such, the 28-year-old is hoping he will not have to endure another round as difficult for the rest of the year.
"I think it's going to be tough, but let's see what we can do in other tracks," Verstappen added. "I hope, of course, we won't experience a weekend like this again, but it still shows that we're not quick in every scenario.
"And that's what we need to understand, I think, a bit better."
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