Another win for Max Verstappen, who, in Qatar, secured his first victory as a four-time world champion.
If someone had told Max Verstappen on Friday that he would win today, he probably would have laughed it off. However, thanks to an incredible effort from Red Bull, the four-time world champion claimed victory in the Qatar Grand Prix, finishing ahead of Leclerc and Piastri at the finish line. finish line.
An extraordinary race pace from the Dutchman, who, in the first stint, improved his personal best lap after lap, breaking away with Lando Norris. The double yellow flag infringement and the subsequent penalty for the British driver favored Verstappen’s solo victory, similar to those achieved earlier in the season.
The four-time world champion analyzed what happened on track after the race. Here are his words: “A great race. Even yesterday in qualifying, the car was performing better. In the first stint, Lando and I were very fast: we were about a second and a half apart the whole time. We pushed each other the entire time on track. The circuit had great grip, the tires held up well, and it was fun to push to the limit. We went long in the first stint, then there were a couple of Safety Cars to manage and some restarts, but I’m very happy.
Verstappen then added: “It’s been a while since we’ve been this competitive in dry conditions. I’m proud of the team; turning things around in one day wasn’t easy. This is a well-deserved victory for them. Restart battle? With the hard tires, you lose grip, and behind the Safety Car, you can’t warm them up. I tried something different but had no rear grip and struggled to find traction. We had fun. Abu Dhabi? It’s difficult to make predictions. We’ve been competitive there in recent years, so we hope to be again.”
Photo: X Oracle Red Bull Racing