Max Verstappen wary ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix: « McLaren perform well everywhere »
Even though the Dutchman won the previous Grand Prix in Spain, he is wary of the competition, particularly from McLaren, for the Austrian weekend. The Sprint format of the Austrian GP will make Friday a crucial day for finding the best possible set-up.
Lando Norris is the new runner-up to Max Verstappen after the Spanish Grand Prix. While Charles Leclerc was firmly in second place in the championship, his last two weekends have been difficult. It’s the opposite for Lando Norris who is impressively consistent: he has secured 5 podiums in the last 6 Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen naturally distrusts his friend and now rival: McLaren is currently very strong. They are good everywhere, on every track, in a way. I think you could see it in Barcelona, they were very good with their tires. They could push them more than the other teams, without degrading them as much at the end of the relays. Because in the last relay, my last laps were difficult, while Lando made up a lot of ground.
A test at Imola at the beginning of last week with the Red Bull 2022.
« We tried the 2022 car, which is allowed this year. I just wanted to get my bearings back because it’s been a while since I drove this car. I haven’t driven it since 2022. Besides, Imola is also a fun track. We had a good day.
» This detour through Italy before Spain fits into the context of increasing competition in recent weeks. Imola is a circuit that highlights the issues of the Red Bull team in 2024. The areas for improvement are clear: better approach to slow corners and bumpy tracks.
« A Friday to better understand, especially during a Sprint weekend »
Fridays often follow each other and are often similar for Max Verstappen. He appears to be in slight difficulty most of the time during practice sessions, before reacting in qualifying. However, the Sprint format in Austria will only offer one practice session during the weekend. A challenge that the Red Bull team will have to meet as they will have less time to find the right formula:
« I would say that in Barcelona, we just had a normal weekend, but we were just too slow. We are constantly trying to make adjustments. Luckily, in qualifying, everything came together a little better. It was probably a normal progression that we had throughout the weekend. […] In Austria, I hope for a clean weekend, like we did in Barcelona, but with a bit more pace.
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