“I do think they are still, on normal tracks, ahead of us”– Max Verstappen thinks that Mercedes still has the edge over them on normal tracks.
Max Verstappen had a thumping win in Monaco that allowed Red Bull to dethrone from the P1 spot in the constructors’ table this year. It is clear that Milton-Keynes based team is doing better than Mercedes on the street races.
However, Verstappen is not confident about outpacing them on the normal tracks, as he has confessed that Mercedes is still a team to beat on mainstream tracks, which is true, as, on such tracks, Mercedes edges Red Bull with a score of 3-1 wins.
“I do think they are still, on normal tracks, ahead of us,” said Verstappen ahead of this weekend’s race at Baku City Circuit. “But I think for us so far this season we have had a great start compared to the other seasons.”
We shall not stop
Verstappen then demanded that Red Bull shouldn’t lose the development battle of cars against Mercedes. However, it is likely that Red Bull might win, as they are ready to compromise on 2022 plans for this year’s title, and Mercedes has confessed 2022 is its priority.
“We just need to keep it up and need to keep improving, to bring new bits to the car all the time to try and improve it,” said Verstappen. “Then I think we have a very good shot at it. But so far, of course, to be leading to the championship is very positive.”
“It’s great, of course, to be first, but it’s more important where you end up after the race in Abu Dhabi,” he added.
Looking forward to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Verstappen certainly admires the Baku city circuit as, according to him, it has the potential to be unpredictable due to its difficult straights, turns and braking zones.
“It’s never easy around here because of the long straight,” he said. “It puts you into a window where you run a bit less downforce for the rest of the track. But it makes it very interesting, big braking zones, it’s quite slippery always around here.”
“I think we have had a lot of interesting races,” said Verstappen, “So I’m looking forward to the start of the weekend.”
