Max Verstappen winner in Qatar: “There was a lot of pressure on the second restart”
Max Verstappen won the Qatar Grand Prix, a week after being crowned world champion. The Dutch driver is particularly pleased with his race, especially since it was a dry track.
« Simply lovely »: It is with his usual expression that Max Verstappen expressed his joy on the Red Bull radio after winning the Qatar Grand Prix. The one who had clinched pole position, which slipped through his fingers after a penalty from the stewards for impeding George Russell. A good way for the Dutchman to respond to the FIA. It doesn’t bring him much else, as he was already crowned world champion last week in Las Vegas.
« It was a very good race. Already in qualifying yesterday, the car was much better, he told David Coulthard’s microphone during the post-race interview. The first stint was very fast: we pushed each other, it was very fun. There was a lot of grip, the tires held up well, and I enjoyed being able to push. There were a few moments to manage with the deteriorating car a bit, but I am very happy. It had been a long time since I had won on dry track.
What prediction for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?
The one who pocketed his ninth win this season also commented on the safety car deployments that punctuated the race. There was a lot of pressure on the second restart, but I managed it well in the end. Little grip on the hard tires, which made a difference: I lacked grip at the back, especially at the first corner. This added a bit of spice, but I was able to go all the way with a good pace, he congratulated himself.
All eyes are now turning to the last race of the season, in Abu Dhabi. What does the world champion expect? For Abu Dhabi, it’s hard to say about performance. I hope we can be very fast again, like in recent years, and fight for the victory, he concluded.
