Max Verstappen pulled off a perfect weekend at Red Bull Ring as the Red Bull star claimed his seventh win of the season. Verstappen, who was almost on the verge of claiming the Grand Slam at Spielberg, however, knew that Ferrari and Charles Leclerc had no chance against him.
Leclerc, with his improved Ferrari, managed to challenge Verstappen to some extent during the race start, and subsequently the safety car period.
But the SF-23 still has some catch-up to do as the RB-19 has a monstrous race pace which easily makes it the most dominant car. And this was what made the Dutchman confident about staying beyond Leclerc’s reach.
Verstappen’s ultimate flex with Red Bull
After winning the Austrian GP race, the defending champion was oozing confidence. When asked if he had enough pace to fend off the Ferrari, Verstappen affirmed on BBC’s Chequered Flag podcast.
Speaking on it further, he added, “Basically, it wouldn’t have mattered what kind of strategy they had. We always had the upper hand in the race.” Following this, he was asked by Lawrence Barretto about the fastest lap request.
What a way to finish a perfect weekend @redbullracing 🏆
An absolutely amazing job by everyone in the team 💪
A big thank you goes out to everyone for joining us on the Red Bull Ring! Your support is seriously unmatched 👏🦁#AustrianGP pic.twitter.com/OtDDffn6WB
— Max Verstappen (@Max33Verstappen) July 2, 2023
On this, the 25-year-old stated that he requested it on the radio, and the team approved it despite the risk involved. A slow pitstop or a mistake could have given Ferrari the win, but Red Bull decided to go the risky way for a very special reason.
Verstappen no longer enjoys battling with Leclerc
The Dutchman has recently opened up on his battles with the Monegasque as the Red Bull Ring has seen numerous wheel-to-wheel battles between the two star drivers in the past.
The remarkable battle in 2019, or 2022 showed the level of intensity the duo can bring. However, it’s no more the same as the two-time world champion who has a significant advantage over Charles Leclerc.
It feels good to be back in the podium. We’ll work flat out to be back on the top step as soon as possible 🇦🇹 pic.twitter.com/m06SHKPUUA
— Charles Leclerc (@Charles_Leclerc) July 2, 2023
Max Verstappen revealed that he would have enjoyed battling with Leclerc if the cars were leveled. As things stand, the Monegasque will have to wait till Silverstone to see what Ferrari has in store to bring.
The Prancing Horse is aiming to bring massive upgrades to the upcoming British Grand Prix. Apart from them, Aston Martin and Mercedes have also made the Silverstone race an important event for ultimate revelation.
