No doubt seeking to lull Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes into a false sense of security, Max Verstappen insists that missing out on the 2021 title would not be a game changer for him.

As the 2021 season, arguably one of the most hard fought in recent years, reaches a climax, Max Verstappen suggests that losing out wouldn't be that big a deal for him.

Asked at the Istanbul Park circuit today if the title fight - currently down to 2 points - is causing him sleepless nights, the Dutch youngster replied: "I always do my best and I know that the team is also doing the best they can. And if that’s going to be, at the end of the year, first, of course that’s an amazing achievement and that’s what we work for, right?

"But even if we would finish second, I think we would still have a great season," he continued, "and at the end of the day it’s not really going to change my life. I enjoy what I’m doing and that’s also very important. For me there is not much to worry about, really."

To some, if not most, the youngster's words suggest that he is already on his way to accepting defeat at the hands of seven-timer champion Hamilton, so he was asked to clarify his comment.

"You shouldn’t really stress it," he said. "I know that my team does the best they can, right? And they expect that from me, and I always try to get the best out of that. We are fully committed to try and make this a success together.

"But you cannot force things," he added. "You just have to work well and work hard together, and then we will find out at the end of the season where that will put us, is that first, is that second? We don’t know."

Verstappen, who has won seven races to Hamilton's five this year, suggests his team is equally 'relaxed' about the situation - even if Christian Horner's constant digs at Mercedes and Toto Wolff suggest otherwise.

"We are very relaxed," he said, "but also very focused, and of course we want to win, the whole team wants to win, so that mentality is there.

"There’s nothing new you can force, or you have to stress about, because we always want to do the best we can anyway and that’s what we’ll try to do this weekend."

Check out our Thursday gallery from Istanbul, here.