Max Verstappen is positioning himself for a competitive sprint race at the British Grand Prix, anticipating challenges from George Russell and Charles Leclerc. He placed third on the grid, just behind Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli, who he considers “a bit quick” in terms of race pace.
The Red Bull driver emphasized that while his performance was solid, outright speed limitations on straights meant he relied on strategic energy management. Verstappen noted that Leclerc and Russell, starting fourth and fifth, had the potential to close the gap with their race pace.
“Hamilton and Antonelli look fast, and as teammates, they should be even quicker in a race,” Verstappen said. “If things settle down, I expect the battle to come from behind me.”
His GPS data revealed lower energy deployment on key corners like Woodcote and Stowe compared to his rivals, but higher usage at the Hangar Straight and start of the lap. This balance highlights areas for improvement to gain lap time.”
Verstappen acknowledged that cornering and deployment adjustments are needed, stating, “We’re not where we want to be yet, but we’ll work on it after the sprint.”
His teammate Isack Hadjar matched Verstappen’s pace but lost time through Club corner, finishing eighth. Hadjar attributed the gap to a slower start and less speed in the final corner, calling it “frustrating” due to the tight margins.
“I didn’t have the best start, which cost me time. If I fix a couple of things, we could challenge for third,” Hadjar said. “I’m happy with my driving, but we need to find more time tomorrow.”
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
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