Max Verstappen Has No Concerns Going Into Title Decider

Max Verstappen has made it clear he has no concerns about his power units ahead of this weekend’s title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Red Bull carried out a late engine change before the Qatar round, prompting speculation that the Dutchman’s newest unit might be compromised. Verstappen had taken a fresh engine in São Paulo, which powered his charge from a pit lane start to third place, keeping him firmly in championship contention.

The four-time world champion arrives at Yas Marina 12 points behind Lando Norris, but with the experience of having sealed a title in a season finale before. As the pressure ramps up, he has been quick to dismiss the idea that his equipment could be an issue.

Asked directly whether there were any concerns about his power units, Verstappen said during a pre-weekend press conference featuring all three title contenders:

“Maybe we’ll use the fifth one or the fourth. They all run, so we’ll see.
It doesn’t matter. They all work, so that’s the most important [thing].”

Power unit reliability has been a major storyline this year, particularly for Mercedes, whose customer teams, including McLaren, have closely monitored developments. But Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris both indicated they have no worries about their engines heading into the finale.

Piastri admitted he barely keeps track of his engine cycles, saying:

“To be honest with you, I don’t even know which engine I’ve got in or when we change it, or whatever.
So no, I’m not concerned.”

Norris added simply:

“Same.”

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