Thrilling Battle in Melbourne: Verstappen Admits McLaren's Edge

Max Verstappen delivered a fierce fight in Melbourne but admitted McLaren had the upper hand, securing crucial points despite lacking race pace.

Max Verstappen secured an unexpected second-place finish in Melbourne, despite trailing the McLaren F1 cars by up to 15 seconds at the midpoint of the race. In the end, Red Bull’s smart race strategy allowed him to challenge Lando Norris for victory in the closing laps.

“It was a tough race, but I had fun in the end. Lando made a small mistake at Turn 6, which gave me the chance to close in and activate DRS. It was exciting to push and fight for the win, and I’m happy to finish second and score solid points—it’s a strong start for us,” Verstappen said.

Verstappen Gambles in Rain but Concedes McLaren’s Superior Pace

Red Bull initially kept him on track in the rain, hoping he could continue on medium tires, but he ultimately made the call to pit. However, staying out for an extra lap on slicks didn’t change the outcome, and Verstappen understood the team’s strategy.

“When the rain started, I told the team I needed to pit, but I stayed out. Then the conditions worsened, so we had no choice but to come in. Even if we had pitted one lap earlier, we still would have finished second. It was worth the gamble, and honestly, it was quite thrilling on slicks in those conditions!”

The Dutchman acknowledged McLaren’s superior pace at this stage of the season but remained satisfied with his result, which delivered valuable points.

“We are where I expected to be—we lacked pace compared to McLaren. But in the end, it’s 18 more points than I scored here last year, so I’ll take it!”