Verstappen Eyes Historic Win on 26th Track in China

Max Verstappen aims for a milestone victory at the China Grand Prix, targeting his 26th different winning circuit, inching closer to racing legends.

This weekend, Max Verstappen has the chance to win the China Grand Prix on a circuit where he has never succeeded before. If he wins, it will be the 26th different track on which he has claimed a race. This would bring him within 5 circuits of Lewis Hamilton’s record, who has won on 31 different tracks, while Singapore is the only other track where he could do this.

“We were thrilled to win in Suzuka and spend some more time in Japan with our family and friends,” said Verstappen, who is not worried despite the challenging Sprint format this weekend. “We are looking forward to being in China, as it is a real challenge waiting for us, especially since it’s a Sprint weekend.”

“As we haven’t raced on this circuit since 2019, and with only one practice session, it will be about making sure we have tuned the car as best as possible and manage our tires. This extra element creates more excitement for the fans, which is a good thing, and the team has worked hard to prepare.”

“It’s a great circuit, with a unique layout, trickier corners, and long straight lines that offer many overtaking opportunities. I have always enjoyed driving on this circuit, and we are excited to see what this weekend holds.”

Pérez feels “confident” ahead of China

Sergio Pérez is happy to rediscover the Shanghai circuit in a very competitive car. He believes his RB20 will be up to par despite the challenging weekend, with the track rediscovery and only one practice session.

“It’s exciting to return to China, it feels like it has been a very, very long time since we were there. I have never driven a Red Bull on this circuit, so it will be a lot of fun. It’s a difficult circuit, but I think we have shown that we have a car capable of competing in most places,” said the Mexican.

“Japan really proved to me how confident I feel with this car and the performances I can extract from it, in places where I struggled last season. I returned to Milton Keynes this week, working hard with my team to prepare for the upcoming race weeks.”

“Preparation is very important during a Sprint weekend, as we have very little practice time with the car. The new format will be challenging for everyone to grasp, but we are all in the same position, and my goal is to get as close as possible to the maximum points throughout the weekend.”