Max Verstappen braces for a tricky Chinese Grand Prix, facing fresh challenges with a new track surface and limited time to fine-tune his setup.
Max Verstappen is expecting plenty of challenges at this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix, highlighting the many unknowns ahead.
After a tough start in Melbourne, Verstappen was surprised to secure third on the grid. He later praised his second-place finish in Sunday’s race as a “good starting point” for Red Bull.
However, the RB21’s struggles continue, and with this being a Sprint weekend, finding the right setup quickly won’t be easy—especially with McLaren’s strong form.
“There are a lot of unknowns, I’d say,” Verstappen admitted during Thursday’s media day. “Of course, the layout is quite different, and we now have a new tarmac, which will behave differently compared to last year.”
“Since it’s a Sprint weekend, there’s limited time to adapt. We’ll have to see how the car responds. Hopefully, we get it into the right window quickly, and from there, we’ll do our best.”
Can McLaren Be Beaten?
With McLaren showing impressive pace in Melbourne, Verstappen was asked if they could be challenged this weekend.
“I think it’ll be tough in general because they’re very fast, very competitive, and very adaptable. But honestly, I don’t think about it too much.”
“I just want to focus on our own car. That’s the only thing we can control anyway. We’ll try to improve from here, and hopefully, we can find more performance.”
Verstappen also pointed out that Red Bull still has areas to refine:
“There are still different aspects that need to come together for our car to unlock more pace. Our high-speed performance hasn’t really been weak, so that’s a good thing.”
“It’s more about the overall versatility where we’re lacking. That’s what we need to work on. Here in China, there aren’t too many high-speed corners, but with the new tarmac, there are a lot of unknowns. It’s really hard to predict where we’ll stand.”
Despite the challenges, Verstappen remains realistic about Red Bull’s chances:
“I know we won’t be the fastest because McLaren is very strong right now. But that’s okay. We just need to focus on ourselves and maximize what we can.”
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Verstappen Faces Uncertainty Ahead of China Sprint Weekend Verstappen Faces Uncertainty Ahead of China Sprint Weekend
