Newly crowned four-time Formula One world champion, Max Verstappen, hit out at the criticism he has received during this season for his aggressive driving style ahead of this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix.

The Dutchman, who was confirmed as world champion at the Las Vegas Grand Prix last week, has raised questions over his tendency to test the limits of the rules in wheel-to-wheel action on the track. He nonchalantly dismissed them while addressing the media on Friday.

“On the track I will put it all on the line,” he was quoted as saying by The Guardian. “I am not going to back out. I want to win. That needs to be the end result. Some people criticise me for that. But most of them don’t have a championship-winning mentality so they don’t understand and they will never understand that kind of approach.”

Max Verstappen’s all-out racing style has been heavily criticised by drivers, past and present, and was hit with massive penalties a few times during this season too. But he remains firm that he will not be changing any time soon.

The 27-year-old’s two title fights — in 2021 against Lewis Hamilton and this year against McLaren’s Lando Norris — were both against Brits. And with heavy British media presence at each Grand Prix, the Dutchman did not hold back in claiming there was a bias against him.

“The problem in F1 is that 80 to 85% of the media is British and I did feel that some things which were written about me were not fair,” Max Verstappen added. “At the end of the day, yes, (I have four titles) and they are the ones in front of a microphone. I speak out. I don’t care. If I don’t agree with something I will tell you.”