Max Verstappen was reportedly suffering from gastritis during the United States Grand Prix race at COTA on Sunday.
Brazilian Formula 1 journalist Mariana Becker was live on Instagram following Sunday’s race. In the stream, she said that the Red Bull driver was suffering from gastritis on the build-up and during the race that afternoon. She also confirmed that both him and his teammate Sergio Perez were feeling pretty unwell after the weekend.
Max put in a stellar performance in the US GP, earning his 8th win of the 2021 season. He started the race on pole position but lost the lead to Lewis Hamilton in the first lap. Verstappen, then took a gamble by pitting early and opting for an aggressive tire strategy that paid off for him in the end.
Hamilton was on fresher tires towards the end of the race but a mixture of graining issues and dirty air kept him behind Max’s gearbox for the remainder of the race. The win saw Verstappen open up a 12 point lead at the summit of the Championship.
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Sergio Perez was not in the best shape post race, says Becker
Sergio Perez’s drink system stopped working after the 10th lap in Austin on Sunday. This means that the Mexican driver drove in extremely hot conditions for the remainder of the race without having water. Consequently, he was feeling very “dehydrated” after the race, said Mariana Becker on Instagram.
The conditions in Texas this weekend were brutal for the drivers. A lot of them including Charles Leclerc called this the ‘most physically demanding race’ of their careers.
The fact that Verstappen and Perez pushed their bodies to the limit in such grueling conditions at COTA last weekend is a testament to the talent and determination these two drivers possess. The Formula 1 season continues with a double header in 2 weeks time, in Mexico followed by Brazil.
