With Max Verstappen winning in Austria last weekend, nothing changed in Formula 1 except for the grid. However, this time Verstappen bagged the top spot with a risk by throwing everything on the last lap as he pitted for the fastest lap to challenge himself.
Despite cruising towards victory with over 24 seconds lead, it didn’t make any sense to pit in the last lap to just pick up the extra point. However, Verstappen decided to make things interesting, as one point would not have mattered to him much.
It was surprising to see how fast the Red Bull was that even after pitting, as the Dutchman finished the race with five seconds to spare when the gap was about two seconds after he came out of the pits.
This shows how dominant the Red Bull challenger is against its competitors. Notably, the RB-19 is indeed the fastest and mightiest car on the grid, with superior straight-line speed and cornering ability.
Glock on Verstappen’s daring
Former F1 driver Timo Glock has recently opened up on the risky move the two-time world champion pulled off at Red Bull Ring as he fended off Charles Leclerc nearing the end.
Speaking of it, he said as per Sky Germany, “The way he wanted to come into the pits with complete self-confidence and the way he trusted his team was enormous. He challenges everyone.”
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
“If that had gone wrong, he would have ended up being the dork of the nation,” concluded the former Toyota F1 driver. Even though Red Bull and Verstappen had everything to lose, Christian Horner allowed the risky move, citing a very special reason.
Admittedly, the last lap risk has become a mockery of the rivals. So much so, that a driver pits one more time than the rivals and still has the pace to have a comfortable victory.
Max Verstappen was confident despite the risk involved
Even though Max Verstappen had everything to lose at Spielberg with the risky shot, he decided to go for it. The Dutchman who was oozing confidence revealed it in the post-race interview.
Speaking on it, the defending champion said that the team was initially nervous and Gianpiero Lambiase was strictly against it.
However, the team allowed the move despite the risk involved. All in all, it was yet another episode of ultimate flex for the Austrian team in their own backyard.
