F1
Max Verstappen talks about the Grand Prix that gave him hope in the 2022 title race
It was at Imola that Max Verstappen regained confidence in 2022. © DPPI
Now that the Drivers and Manufacturers titles are in the bag of Max Verstappen et Red Bull Racing for some time now, the new reference for Formula 1 can indulge in a few confidences. Before testing for the Brazilian Grand Prix this Friday, November 11, the Dutchman revealed how the start of the season could have undermined his morale.
Because yes, before piling up victories like clean dishes, Max Verstappen began the defense of his 2021 coronation with two resounding retirements, in Bahrain then in Australia.
“We had a pretty terrible start to the year, so at the time I thought we wouldn't be able to really challenge for the championship, he reveals. But then things really turned around really quickly (in our favor. Editor’s note) and the car has also become more competitive. It's been a crazy year for us in terms of wins. You know, it was really, really nice and something I never would have imagined at the beginning of the year! »
The man with 34 victories in F1 since 2016 has regained confidence in his equipment as well as his chances on the track side.Imola (Italy), during the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. “The Imola weekend was very good, like we had a really perfect weekend. And then, of course, the gap (with the Ferrari) was slowly diminishing. That’s normally always a good sign, but you can’t afford…at the time we couldn’t afford any more dropouts.”, he relates.
“Of course the gap now is very big and we could have had some withdrawals, but at the time, after already having two withdrawals so early in the year, we turned things around very quickly. But honestly, I think for us as a team, Imola was a very important weekend, to have that kind of good dynamic. »
At Imola, Max Verstappen first won the sprint race following a beautiful overtake from the outside at the first chicane on the man who was then presented as the favorite for the title, Charles Leclerc (Ferrari). The next day, the Monegasque made a mistake which indirectly allowed Max Verstappen to follow up with success at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.
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Medhi Casaurang
Passionate about the history of motorsport across all disciplines, I learned to read thanks to AUTOhebdo. At least that's what my parents tell everyone when they see my name inside!
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