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Max Verstappen isn’t particularly happy with his performance in Singapore, even though he finished second. His biggest issue is that his main rival, Lando Norris, ended up ahead of him. The 26-year-old Dutch driver stressed after the race that he tried his best to secure a good result, but eventually, he didn’t tap into his full potential.
Verstappen expressed dissatisfaction with several moments during the race, particularly with tire degradation. He stressed that things looked better after that point in the second stint, but it seemed insufficient to match McLaren’s pace. Currently, it appears that the British team is ahead of Red Bull.
For the Austrian team, it’s important to remember that they’ve been strong since the start of the season, leaving the competition far behind. Although they are going through a rough patch now, it gives them reason to remain optimistic and they still have a strong chance to win the championship.
“I think that’s pretty much my race, by myself. I tried to do the best I could, tried to manage my own pace to the end.
I think the first stint was a bit difficult for us, quite a bit of tyre degradation. The second stint was a bit better, I was a bit more comfortable as well."-Max Verstappen said, as quoted by F1.
The Dutch driver emphasized that finishing in second place is certainly a good achievement for his team, but he admitted he wasn’t satisfied with the result. Max is a driver who is used to being at the front and leading the charge in F1, so the current situation isn’t ideal for him. His goal is to quickly regain his rhythm and distance himself from the competition.
"I think on a weekend where we knew that we were going to struggle, to be P2 is a good achievement. Of course, we are not happy with second. Now we just have to try and improve more and more, and that’s what we’ll try to do.”-he continued.
Feeling the pressure of his lead diminishing, Verstappen stressed that while it’s difficult, things can change quickly in racing. He emphasized the need to keep pushing and find a way to turn the situation around, rather than always finishing behind his rivals. He realized that it would take time to see how it all unfolds.
After qualifying, Verstappen reflected that the entire session went well, as they were able to improve the car with each run. He expressed satisfaction with starting from the front row, especially considering their performance the day before.
He acknowledged that Q3 was difficult, particularly after Carlos Sainz's crash led to a double yellow flag, which canceled his lap. With only one run available, he stressed the need to be cautious and not push too hard. This amazing driver was content with his second-place finish.
Sergio Pérez reacts
Sergio Pérez reflected on the race in Singapore, describing it as a disaster after finishing in 10th place. Things aren’t going in the direction he wants, but it seems he has come to accept the situation as it is. After a disappointing qualifying session that left him starting from 13th, he found it difficult to achieve a positive result.
Pérez believes the race could have been much better for him, as he had opportunities to capitalize on. However, he acknowledged that he is still far from reaching his goals.
“Yes, I think also the strategy, looking at it, when you see where Carlos [Sainz] finished [in P7 from P10 on the grid], probably we lost an opportunity to make more progress and undercut more people."- he said.
When talking about the frustration of being stuck behind Franco Colapinto's Williams for much of the race, this great driver described the experience as a complete disaster. He noted that they had a strong start, moving up to 10th place on the first lap, but unfortunately, that’s where they ended up finishing, which he found disappointing.
The leaders of Red Bull, on the other hand, hope that they can turn things in their favor, and record the results that the fans expect. The Austrian team is on a great path to success, but it won't be easy. Verstappen is still the leader, despite the great performances of Lando Norris. The Dutchman started furiously from the beginning of the season, securing the lead and taking advantage of the situation in which he is.
However, the leaders of this team also want Sergio Perez to be, if not equally, at least approximately successful, but it seems that he is far from what the leaders of Red Bull imagined.
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