Max Verstappen has explained why he is preferring this year's championship battle compared to 2021's.

The Red Bull driver is currently well on course to winning a second world title in F1, with him leading the standings by 63 points from Charles Leclerc, who is his nearest rival in second place.

Indeed, it's so far been a campaign that has been a lot less tense compared to 2021, where Max and Lewis Hamilton went hammer and tong all year and had a few high-profile incidents along the way.

Of course, if Max and Charles were nearer to each other in the standings things might have gone a little bit differently this year but those are 'ifs' and 'buts' and the fact of the matter is Max has said he is preferring this year's fight, and he has a better relationship with Ferrari in general compared to Mercedes.

"I prefer what we have now because, first of all, Charles I know very well, he's a nice guy, we are a similar age - I think we are only three weeks apart," Max said to Sky Italy.

"I think also we are fighting a very well-respected competitor in terms of Ferrari. The way they go about the way we are fighting… when they win a race we can go to them and say well done, and when we win a race they can say well done, and I really respect that.

JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA - MARCH 27: Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing and Second placed Charles Leclerc of Monaco and Ferrari shake hands in parc ferme during the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on March 27, 2022 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)

"On Saturday night, we even had a laugh in Paul Ricard, and I think that's great because that's what racing should be about. We are hard competitors on the track and we will always try to beat each other, which I think is very normal, but outside of it you can have a good time as well, and that's what I really enjoy about this year.

"Let's say it like this, I would not be on a table on Saturday night having a laugh with (Mercedes)."