Max Verstappen is out for vengeance in Baku. The world champion was leading last season’s race at Azerbaijan when he suffered a late heartbreaking puncture that saw him lose an easy win and 25 points in the championship.

The Baku International Circuit, which hosts the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, remains one of the rare tracks where Verstappen has not scored even a podium. He had the chance to do so in 2021, but retired from the race. In 2022, ahead of the race this weekend, the Red Bull driver mentioned he has unfinished business.

Max Verstappen gives his take on the upcoming race in Baku

Verstappen is coming off the back of a dismal performance (by his standards) from his end in Monaco. Although he stood on the podium and finished P3, the Dutchman was nowhere compared to his teammate in the principality. This will act as another dose of added motivation for the world champion on top of his last season’s tire blowout in Baku.

“After being out of the race last year, I am looking forward to returning to Baku, where I have unfinished business. Baku has a tough street circuit with serious braking and small escape zones,” said the Red Bull driver. [Translated by Google]

“It’s hard to find the settings there and choose the optimal angle for the rear wing. Let’s see if we can be faster in qualifying this weekend? We were a little behind in the previous races in terms of single lap pace,” said Verstappen.

READ MORE: Why Was Max Verstappen So Crash-Prone Early in His F1 Career?

Verstappen is currently leading the world championship this season ahead of Charles Leclerc. But he might also have to watch out for his teammate Sergio Perez, who is just 15 points behind him. Perez recently signed a new deal with the team after his Monaco GP win.

The World Champion is happy that Sergio Perez signed a new deal

The Dutch driver gave his thoughts on Checo’s new contract with Red Bull, which means the pair will remain teammates until the end of the 2024 season. Verstappen mentioned he was happy for Perez as they get on well with each other.

“It’s great that Checo has signed a contract extension with the team. It’s nice to have the continuity and I get on really well with him,” said the world champion.

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It would be interesting to see how Verstappen assesses the threat of his teammate in Baku, where Perez usually goes well very well. Let’s see which Red Bull driver will come out on top this weekend.