Formula 1

Verstappen emphasizes the importance of reliability in Red Bull’s race for the championship

Published

3 months ago

21/03/2023

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has emphasized the need for reliability in their cars to ensure a fair battle for the world championship, which seems likely to be between him and his teammate.

According to Max Verstappen, Red Bull needs to prioritize ensuring the reliability of their cars because it’s probable that the battle for the world championship will be between him and his teammate.

In the first two races, Red Bull’s drivers have secured the top two spots. Max Verstappen emerged victorious in the first race held in Bahrain, whereas Sergio Perez claimed the win in the recently concluded Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen’s chances of winning were impacted when he experienced a driveshaft failure during the qualifying session on Saturday, pushing him down to 15th position on the starting grid. Despite this setback, Verstappen managed to make a comeback and finish in second place. However, he emphasized the need for Red Bull to enhance their reliability to ensure that both drivers have an equal opportunity to compete for the championship.

The current world champion stressed that their focus should not only be on the speed of the car. It is also crucial to ensure that the car is reliable and free of any issues that could potentially hinder their performance.

Verstappen explained that his first weekend of the season did not go as smoothly due to significant changes in the car’s balance from testing to the race weekend, along with some other factors behind the scenes. Despite having three successful practice sessions before the race, he encountered another issue during qualifying, which affected his performance.

Although Verstappen managed to recover and finish in second place, which the team celebrated, he expressed his personal dissatisfaction as his goal was not to settle for second place. He aims to win and be at the top of the leaderboard.

Verstappen emphasized the importance of having reliable cars in the championship race, especially when the competition appears to be between only two cars. He mentioned that the team worked hard to prepare for the race, but having to do a recovery race due to technical issues was not ideal. While he does not mind the challenge of a recovery race, ensuring that both cars are reliable is crucial to their championship aspirations.

Despite Sergio Perez securing pole position and winning the race, Verstappen stated that he did not believe he could have beaten his teammate, given the circumstances. Verstappen expressed his belief that even without the Safety Car intervention, finishing in second place was the best possible outcome for him.

During the closing stages of yesterday’s race, Verstappen expressed his concern to his team about a possible driveshaft failure as he pursued Perez.

Verstappen noticed vibrations on the driveshaft at the rear of the car during the race, and while the team could not detect any issues, he was certain that there was an imbalance in the car’s performance due to the vibrations.

Verstappen calculated that he would not have been able to catch up to Perez and close the gap even with 10 laps remaining. Therefore, he made the decision to settle for second place and avoid any potential issues with the car, prioritizing reliability and securing valuable points for the championship.

Verstappen commented on the technical issues he faced during qualifying and the race. He stated that during the qualifying session, there was a sudden break in the car’s performance, which affected his performance. However, during the race, the issue was not as severe, but it still impacted his driving experience and was audible.

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