Max Verstappen holds secret weapon for Dutch GP

McLaren person secured rod presumption for the Dutch Grand Prix, but the Woking-based squad is inactive not wholly astatine easiness up of today's race. Team main Andrea Stella has openly admitted that Max Verstappen and Red Bull person a "powerful weapon"; a caller acceptable of brushed tyres that could crook the tide of the contention astatine the close moment.

Oscar Piastri was faster than his teammate Lando Norris to instrumentality rod position, though the Briton had amended times successful each escaped signifier sessions. Max Verstappen besides surprised; portion helium was astir a 2nd down successful the last signifier session, helium reduced the spread to conscionable 2 tenths successful qualifying.

"The astir absorbing happening is that this greeting we were inactive 8 tenths down McLaren, and present it's lone 2 tenths. On the utilized tyres we are adjacent closer, truthful I deliberation we tin marque McLaren nervous," said Helmut Marko.

Verstappen himself was much cautious: 

“It’s a spot of an unknown, but I deliberation what we person present successful the car should beryllium much stable. However, our gait successful the contention was mostly not the champion compared to qualifying. I anticipation we tin astatine slightest support the drivers down america – down america successful the race.”

McLaren and Red Bull

Andrea Stella stressed that McLaren indispensable not lone look astatine the conflict betwixt its drivers, but besides astatine Verstappen. 

“Strategy is 1 of the variables done which the contention betwixt Lando and Oscar tin beryllium expressed. But archetypal of all, we person Lando, Oscar and Max Verstappen. The archetypal happening we person to guarantee successful the interests of the squad is to bushed Max, who is not acold behind. He is lone 2 tenths down us.”

Stella added that Verstappen has an advantage; 

“Max, for example, has a caller acceptable of brushed tyres that helium saved successful qualifying and that tin beryllium rather a almighty limb if utilized astatine the close moment.”

However, the question is however realistically Red Bull volition usage that acceptable of tyres today. Marko has already hinted astatine a one-stop strategy, without the softest Pirelli compound: 

“The harder the tyre, the amended we are. It volition decidedly beryllium a medium/hard contention with 1 pit stop.”

The other acceptable of brushed tyres gives Verstappen flexibility and tin beryllium saved for aboriginal successful the contention – successful lawsuit of a information car oregon a escaped pit stop. This is precisely what Red Bull missed successful Barcelona, ​​when they lone had the hard tyres and mislaid their advantage.