Verstappen holds an eight-point lead in the drive♔rs’ championship going into this weekend’s inaugural F1 race around the streets of Jeddah.

The Dutchman has seen his lead cut in the last two weekends wit☂h Mercedes enjoying the advantage over Red Bull in Brazil and Qatar.&nღbsp;

Speaking after finishing second at the Losail International Circuit, Verstappen said: “I would, of course, have liked to make it a bigger gap, but when you don't have the pace, it’s impossible to do that, so we’ll just try to be better, and come back strong, especially in S🤡audi on the street track, and then yeah, we’ll see in Abu Dhabi.”

With Verstappen in a strong position to take his maiden F1 crown, ꩲRed Bull team boss Christian Horner believes he’s “driv🅰ing better than ever”.

“Make no mistake, fighting for your first F1 title is an intense moment in your🌠 racing career, but the matur🌳ity Max has shown throughout the campaign has been extremely impressive,” Horner wrote in his Red Bull Racing column.

“He’s relaxed and dealing with the pressure incredibly well, I think he is drivin🎶g better than ever.

“A good example of this was during the race in Qatar, when he did not feel we could catch Lewis, but commented over the radio he “wanted to have some f🐼un”.

“Max is plain-speak꧒ing and he calls it how he sees it. He doesn’t work with a sports psychologist; it is just how he copes with it.”