Max Verstappen struggled early in Shanghai but found strong pace on hard tyres, salvaging a solid P4 with a late-race surge.
Max Verstappen had a race of two halves at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai today.
The Red Bull driver struggled in his opening stint on the Pirelli medium tyres, gradually losing ground to the McLarens and Ferraris. But everything changed once he switched to the hard compound — suddenly, the car came alive.
“Switching to the hard tyres, I immediately felt more grip — although the balance stayed pretty much the same,” Verstappen explained. “I had better traction where others maybe dropped off a bit. The lap times improved and the car was just nicer to drive.”
Early on, Verstappen chose not to push too hard, especially after struggling to maintain pace during the sprint.
“With the mediums, the first part of the race was quite tough. In the sprint, I tried to stay close, but my tyres gave up quickly. So I didn’t go all-out, especially once I realized most of us were committing to a one-stop strategy,” he said.
“By the time I boxed, the tyres still looked okay, but that’s not really how we want to race. Still, the second stint was more promising, and hopefully we can build on that in Japan.”
Where does Red Bull need to improve?
“It’s hard to say when you don’t know exactly where the deficit is,” Verstappen admitted. “But that last stint gave us some answers. We’ll dive into the data, learn from it, and aim to be more competitive in Suzuka.”
As for the bigger picture, Verstappen remains calm and confident.
“Nothing’s changed for me — I’m super relaxed and positive,” he said. “I’m enjoying life, giving my best every time I get in the car, and not overthinking anything. I feel good, both in and out of the car, and that’s what really matters.”
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Tyre Switch Turns Tide for Verstappen in China
Tyre Switch Turns Tide for Verstappen in China
