Virile but correct between Leclerc and Verstappen
No controversy between Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen following the action of the first turn.
The race to the first turn was very tight between the first two on the grid. Although Charles Leclerc got a slightly better start than his rival, he was unable to get the upper hand, especially since the world champion squeezed him heavily on the sideline.
However, the Monegasque did not want to dispute at the end of the race: « I saw an opportunity, a small gap and I tried. But it didn’t work. Honestly, I like fighting in this way. If I had been in Max’s place, I would have done exactly the same thing, so no problem. »
That’s good: he will be well positioned to replace the Dutchman tomorrow, for the start of the “real” race. He does not appear completely confident as the Red Bull is only sixth on the grid: « We had quite a few tyre management problems, especially at the rear. I don’t expect a big fight against Max but compared to McLaren and Mercedes, it should be tight. »
On his side, Max Verstappen simply said with a wry smile: « Once I got Lewis out of the DRS, we each had our rhythm. I was able to push at the end and we will need this rhythm tomorrow because I am only P6. »
From our special correspondent in Austin
