Max Verstappen opens up on tough year with Red Bull: 'Sometimes I've been harsh'

Max Verstappen has conceded to being "harsh" on occasion this season in a bid to return to winning ways with Red Bull.

The opening months of the campaign proved difficult for Verstappen and Red Bull, with the team struggling for a long time to get on top of the RB22's issues. A significant upgrade package introduced in Baku changed matters, and results have improved since.

That shift yielded Verstappen's first pole position and first win of the season in Malaysia, and he has continued that momentum into Singapore by converting sprint pole at the Marina Bay Street Circuit into a win.

The four-time F1 champion sees clear differences between this campaign's turnaround and last year's, when results picked up from Monza onwards.

"A completely different story," Verstappen said, speaking to De Telegraaf. "Last season, it was all about the car's setup.

"For a long time, we thought that car couldn't run with a certain setup. And then it turned out it could. That was a learning experience.

"This year is different. At the start, we could have tried any setup on the car, but that wouldn't have improved the balance.

"The latest updates have helped a lot. I can now find my rhythm more easily and push the limits.

"Sometimes I've been harsh, but above all, clear and honest. The team knows I don't mean it personally.

"I'm just a perfectionist and always want to do things better, especially when I know it can actually be done better."

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Verstappen - Races from hard drive erased

Verstappen reaches a major milestone in Singapore this weekend, with the track hosting his 250th F1 race, should everything go to plan.

It is a remarkable number for the Dutchman, who made his debut as a 17-year-old with Toro Rosso back in 2015. Since then, Verstappen has won four world titles and 72 grand prix victories, though the journey there has not been without its lows.

The Red Bull driver was not even aware of the landmark himself until it was pointed out to him.

"Well, to be honest, I had no idea this would be my 250th race," Verstappen said.

"I do watch all the races back, though, good or bad. That's more to get a better picture of the races and to see and hear certain things, including from other teams."

Verstappen is not one to dwell on past glories, but his more recent form has stuck with him.

"But it's not like I think back a lot to, say, Abu Dhabi 2021, when I won my first world title," he said.

"From this season, I especially like to remember the final races in Malaysia and Baku, because things were going better again by then.

"But as for the first half of this year, I've already erased quite a few races from my hard drive."