Verstappen ‘can be pleased’ with second at Azerbaijan GP
Double Formula One world champion Max Verstappen found the silver lining in finishing second to Red Bull team mate Sergio Perez at Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday.
The team’s third one-two finish in four races this season left Verstappen six points clear of the Mexican in a two-horse title battle, Reuters reported.
The Dutch driver started on the front row in Baku, taking the lead from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc on lap four but pitting just before the safety car was deployed.
Perez, yet to pit and able to do so without losing position, made the most of his good fortune.
Verstappen said he had been experimenting all race with steering wheel settings, looking for a better balance in the car.
“I actually think that I found a good compromise towards the end of the race because I think my last 10 laps were a lot stronger. And I felt a lot happier with the car, how everything was behaving,” he told reporters.
“So I think all in all, I can be quite pleased with second,” added last year’s race winner.
“I mean, of course you always want to win, right? But I think sometimes you need these kinds of weekends to learn and have a better understanding of the car, of what the car needs to go faster.
“And sometimes on the street circuit like this, it really comes out. Sometimes these kinds of things might get a bit masked on a normal track because of downforce and just the general behaviour of a car.
“So, maybe this was a good day, you know, to go forward.”
Perez’s accomplished victory in Baku has confirmed – in his mind at least – that he is a genuine rival to Verstappen for the world championship this year.
“It’s a long year ahead,” Perez said.
“We want to beat each other. I want to win the championship as much as Max wants to, but there is a lot of respect between us and we are similar in the way we think about the sport. I don’t think it will change. We will fight as hard as we can but with a very high level of respect to us and the team.”