Max Verstappen battles through tire issue

Max Verstappen started the contention from the pits successful Brazil aft Red Bull installed a caller motor and made respective changes to the RB21. The Dutch operator had a disastrous qualifying time and was eliminated successful the archetypal round, which forced the squad to marque this antithetic decision.

He started the contention connected hard tires, but connected thigh six, during the virtual information car that followed a afloat information car, helium was called into the pits for a mean brown. At archetypal glance, it seemed similar a unusual move, but it was soon discovered that the close beforehand tyre was dilatory losing pressure.

However, the occupation did not halt him. Verstappen fought his mode done the contention and yet finished third, though helium had to pit doubly much during the last stages of the race.

Strategy and luck

Helmut Marko, the Austrian team's advisor, admitted successful a file for Speedweek that helium underestimated however overmuch advancement Max could make. "In Brazil we decided to person Max commencement from the pits aft we had made a batch of changes to the car and fitted a caller engine," said Marko. "Honestly, I thought helium would decorativeness determination betwixt 5th and seventh. But helium showed his bonzer endowment erstwhile again – helium could person finished second."

Marko stressed that the virtual information car helped the squad astatine a important infinitesimal by slowing Verstappen's gait minimally. "To marque matters worse, we had a dilatory puncture," helium added. "We planned to enactment connected way longer and decorativeness the contention with 1 stop, but things went differently."

About a twelve pieces of c fibre from different cars, aft the collisions betwixt Stroll and Bortoleto oregon Colapinto and Hamilton, punctured the tire. "Luckily, our technologist noticed the occupation and warned america immediately," says Marko. The hard tyre remains a mystery; rivals had problems, portion Max managed to acceptable competitory times.

Verstappen erstwhile again showed his quality to woody with problems and marque the astir of adversity. His combat successful Brazil remains an illustration of fantabulous driving strategy and car handling skills nether pressure.