While Max Verstappen is satisfied with his current position in the Drivers' standings, he wouldn't mind going one better in Abu Dhabi and taking fourth from Sebastian Vettel.
The Red Bull and Ferrari drivers have had their share of one-on-one battles lately, with the last installment taking place in Brazil two weeks ago when Verstappen forced Vettel off the track, much to the latter's anger.
Going into the last race of 2016, the Dutchman trails his German rival by just five points in the championship. It should therefore be another close contact fight between the two men around the Yas Marina venue.
"To be honest, it would be nice to be ahead [of Vettel], but for the first four races I was not ahead," said Verstappen.
"You always lose points already, so I can just be happy to be that close. If I finish fourth it will be a bonus, but if I finish fifth that’s fine for me as well.
"At the end of the day it doesn’t make a massive difference because I’m only here to finish first – even second, I don’t care."
Despite their on-track rivalry and candid off-track exchanges in the media, Vettel actually contacted Verstappen after Brazil, and all appears well between the two men.
"He sent me a text after the race, but that was mainly about the tyres. It’s alright, we are racing drivers, so I think he realised soon afterwards that he couldn’t hold me behind anyway.
"If we are fighting a lot then maybe he can complain a bit more, but it was a very fair move. In Turn 4 he tried to do the same to me, but I quickly realised what he was trying to do so just backed off behind.
"I did the same to him, I just overtook him, we were next to each other and he just kept going around the outside. At one point I can’t do any more because I’m on the inside where it’s more slippery. And we didn’t even touch."
Chris Medland's 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix preview
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