Max Verstappen admits Singapore was tough

Max Verstappen had mixed feelings aft a pugnacious contention successful Singapore; though helium finished second, helium admitted helium had “suffered a lot” down the instrumentality of his RB21 each weekend.

Red Bull came to the streets of Marina Bay intent connected showing the car’s progress, aft Verstappen claimed victories connected low-downforce tracks successful Monza and Baku. Even 2nd spot didn’t travel easy, though; the reigning four-time satellite champion had to enactment overmuch harder than helium wanted.

Verstappen complained astir the gearbox during the race; astatine 1 constituent helium described his car arsenic “undriveable” aft locking the wheels and astir spinning retired astatine Turn 14. He nevertheless managed to decorativeness betwixt George Russell successful the Mercedes and Lando Norris successful the McLaren.

“It was a spot harder than I had hoped, to beryllium honest,” said Verstappen. “For immoderate crushed I had a batch of occupation with the cogwheel changes successful the contention – some erstwhile going down and erstwhile changing gears. It enactment a batch of unit connected maine erstwhile braking, which you don’t privation connected a thoroughfare track!”

“The car, unfortunately, wasn’t wherever I wanted it to be. There are a fewer things we person to larn from that, from definite decisions we made implicit the play regarding the set-up,” explains the Dutchman.

Difficult moments connected the track

“We didn’t bash a existent agelong stint successful practice, which of people doesn’t help. But it’s nary enigma wherefore the contention didn’t spell perfectly, we conscionable person to analyse it.”

“Even if the equilibrium was perfect, 2nd spot would inactive beryllium the champion possible, due to the fact that you simply can’t overtake here. As you could see, I had Lando down maine for much than an hr – helium was intelligibly faster, but helium couldn’t pass.”

"At the start, we went with a antithetic strategy, connected brushed tires, due to the fact that we knew that the near broadside of the starting presumption was precise soiled - we measured that during the weekend. We had to instrumentality risks. For me, that archetypal stint was conscionable a question of holding connected agelong enough."

In the end, Verstappen cautiously commented connected the weekend: "We were much competitive, but I deliberation this is inactive not a way layout that peculiarly suits us. Maybe immoderate different tracks volition suit america better, truthful we person to spell contention by race."

With this result, Max further reduced the spread successful the drivers' standings – helium is present 41 points down Lando Norris and 63 points down the person Oscar Piastri.