Max Verstappen rises from the waves in Shanghai
Max Verstappen took his Red Bull to the top of the timesheets in today's only free practice session at the Shanghai circuit. A best time that doesn't really tell the whole story, even if it confirms the Dutchman's ability in difficult conditions.
A Red Bull setting the fastest time in a session this year is unlikely to be seen again in the near future, as the team still seems quite far behind the Ferrari and Mercedes duo.
But in the hellish conditions that descended on the Shanghai track today, young Dutchman Max Verstappen once again stood out for his mastery, while his competitors were struggling.
Max Verstappen – FP1: 1:50.491 (1st – 4 laps); FP2: canceled
The weather played a big role today, and I only managed to do two timed laps. But I finished at the top of the timesheet, which is very positive. We haven’t been able to test anything on the car since Australia, and it’s unfortunate that due to today’s delays, we simply don’t have the track time we had hoped for, which also means we don’t have a lot of track data to review for the weekend. I understand the reasons for canceling the session, the weather simply prevented the helicopter from flying, and that’s an integral part of our safety in the event of an accident. The car’s balance seemed quite good in the wet spots, but Ferrari and Mercedes weren’t really racing, so we don’t have any possible comparisons.
Daniel Ricciardo, on his part, wanted a calmer weekend than the one he experienced on his home turf in Australia. He will have to wait until tomorrow to get back to work and thus erase his frustration from Melbourne.
Daniel Ricciardo – FP1: 1:54.038 (8th – 7 laps); FP2: canceled
It’s very frustrating that the FP2 sessions didn’t take place and that we couldn’t drive, but at least we managed a few laps this morning. It’s a shame for us, but also for the fans who showed up today to support us. At the same time, I understand what happened and I support the decision because safety is paramount. The track conditions were good, but if someone were to have an accident and the helicopter couldn’t transport them to the hospital, it could be a major issue. The weather forecast looks a bit better for tomorrow, I hope we’ll be able to drive and do the practice sessions before the race on Sunday.
