Max Verstappen: “We did everything well”

Strongly disappointed with his 3rd place in qualifying the day before, Max Verstappen (Red Bull) was keen to catch up in the race this Sunday.

Without delaying too much, he set the pace by taking control at the first braking after a tough maneuver on the pole sitter Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes).

« I was a little surprised myself (of his departure), he admitted. Last year we suffered a little in this area but we worked a lot to improve as you saw in Bahrain and today (Sunday) in special conditions we did the job ».

Very comfortable on the wet track, the Dutchman then widened the gap in order to be safe to finish his stint on wet tires. A passage that the Red Bull driver managed masterfully by emerging in front of Lewis Hamilton.

« It was very difficult, especially at the start of the race. It wasn't easy to stay on the track, we slipped a lot. We also had to manage the degradation of the tires and choosing the right time to put the tires on for the dry is never easy. Luckily, we managed everything ».

Class of the field @Max33Verstappen blew away the competition for the 11th win of his career!#ImolaGP  #F1 @redbullracing pic.twitter.com/Ic7iOc1VBa

— Formula 1 (@F1) April 18, 2021

If Lewis Hamilton remains at the top of the drivers' standings with just one small point lead (44 against 43), Max Verstappen is not rushing. On the contrary, he plays the patience card. “ The season is long. You have to stay calm ". The 2021 campaign is definitely launched and the next meeting in Portimão (May 2) already promises to be exciting.

Find the analysis of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix by our experts in AUTOhebdo No. 2308 available from Monday in digital version and Wednesday on newsstands.