Red Bull driver Max Verstappen is heading into the final triple-header sequence of the 2021 season fully aware of the importance of every single opportunity that arises. After winning last time out in the United States, Verstappen holds a slender 12-point lead over Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton in the championship battle, with the final five races taking place across six weekends. As the next two events in Mexico and Brazil arguably favour Red Bull's RB16B, followed by a first-ever trip to Qatar, the team are aiming to maximise their results and give themselves as much of a buffer as possible before the final back-to-back in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi. "I'm looking forward to it and I'm excited to get going, although I know the triple-header is going to be busy!" Verstappen said in his official preview for this weekend's Mexico City Grand Prix. "It's incredibly important for myself and the team to try and nail the next three races now that we are fighting for the championship. "There will be a lot of travelling time and time differences but I'm looking forward to being back on track in Mexico and Brazil and I'm looking forward to the challenge of racing on the new track in Qatar."
Verstappen's positive memories in Mexico
Verstappen won the 2017 and 2018 races at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, as well as taking pole position in 2019. He's hoping to recapture some of that form this weekend, and is also looking forward to the positivity around home town hero Sergio Perez as his teammate. "I have good memories from racing in Mexico with my two race wins," Verstappen went on to comment. "I'm looking forward to racing here again, especially after not being able to travel here for a while. "I know we will have a lot more fans now with Checo [Perez] in the team, too, so I'm looking forward to seeing all of them at the track and, of course, hopefully we can have a competitive weekend."
Important points for the championship
Verstappen clinched a crucial victory last time out in the United States, arresting a slide that had set in and kept him off the top step since his home race at Zandvoort. As a result, he's aiming to keep that momentum going this weekend. "It was, of course, a great feeling to be back on the top step at the US Grand Prix," he reflected. "The last few races were obviously quite difficult with various engine penalties and a few unlucky moments, so it definitely felt good to be back up there with Checo beside me. "It was a very satisfying win, we showed good pace at the US GP, so I'm looking to build on that momentum, and it was, of course, also very important to score solid points for the championship."
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