Max Verstappen is ready to keep fighting against Lewis Hamilton for the title and become World Champion. The 24-year driver revealed during today's press conference that he would leap at the chance to use the number 1 on his car if he has the chance to do it.

Regulations introduced in 2014, when drivers chose their own numbers, allowed the reigning World Champion to swap his career number to the Number 1 for the following season. Because of this, that longed-for Number 1 has been used just once, in 2014 when Sebastian Vettel used it. Max Verstappen arrived in the category the following season and he chose the number 33 but he affirmed that if he would make it to win the title, he would use it.

ʀᴀᴄᴇᴅᴀʏ 🦁 Head down #UnleashTheLion 🇲🇽 #MexicanGP pic.twitter.com/YTLjx0p1Dj

— Max Verstappen (@Max33Verstappen) November 7, 2021

“Absolutely, - he said, when asked about it - How many times to you have the opportunity to drive with number one? And it’s good for merchandise as well so it’s smart to do that.”

Now, the Red Bull driver is leading the championship by 19 points and only four races left but he cannot give anything for granted yet.

“In four races a lot of things can happen, - he explained – We are looking good but things can change very quickly. I said it after the race in Mexico, I’ve had a bigger lead already in the championship and that disappeared within two races.”

“So we have to again try to do the best we can here – he continued – and again after this weekend we’ll try again to try and win the race. My approach every weekend is the same, we will not change it.”

https://www.motorlat.com/notas/f1/22966/f1-sao-paulo-gp-hamilton-red-bull-will-be-very-hard-to-beat-this-weekend-unaware-of-possible-ice-penalty

However, Verstappen prefers focusing on the moment instead of allowing himself to consider the chances of becoming a world champion. 
“It’s very simple, to be honest, - he stated - if you don’t think about it, you don’t have any dreams or whatever. So I’m just really focused.”