Max Verstappen: “Taking 3rd place like this was crucial”

Author of his second podium in 2019 after that won in Australia, Max Verstappen held up against the Ferrari de Sebastian Vettel et Charles Leclerc, two targets within reach of the RB15 – Honda this Sunday in Spain.

The Dutchman, cautious at the start, did not wait long before disrupting the Scuderia's race, taking his chance at the second corner. “The first turn was epic, comments Verstappen.

I stayed out of the fight for a bit, before gaining positions in the following corners. Taking this third place like this was crucial because from there I was able to lead my own pace and strategy, which worked well. »

The Dutchman has a fifth finish in the top 4 in 2019, and is now placed as the best of the others behind the untouchable duo Mercedes.

“The W10s were really too fast today, but we were competitive, Verstappen analyzes. I'm delighted to be on the podium. I try to maximize everything that is available to me and I am happy with the result today.

We're third again, which is pretty representative of our pace at the moment, and it's great to score some big points again. I knew we had a good chance in the race to fight with Ferrari and that's what we did.

Everyone is very motivated to close the gap and we are going to try a few things in testing next week that can give us a better direction to work in. »

Before a Monegasque meeting which often succeeds in Red Bull Racing, Daniel Ricciardo having won in the Principality in 2018. Will the RB15 chassis, equipped with the Honda block, be able to repeat this performance?

Discover the full report and analysis of the Spanish Grand Prix, produced by our special correspondents in Catalonia, in issue 2216 of AUTOhebdo, available tomorrow evening in digital version, and from this Wednesday on newsstands.