Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez struggled with stomach problems through the USGP, but they still secured the double podium.
Both the Red Bull drivers gave a brilliant performance at the COTA. Max Verstappen won the race, and Sergio Perez saved himself on the podium in third.
However, both Verstappen and Perez struggled with stomach problems. Perez became aware of the problem immediately after the race because the drinking system in his car had failed. He said, “I was flat after 20 laps. It was the toughest race of my life.”
Perez was dehydrated and was experiencing cramps. In between, he took his hands off the steering wheel on the straight to relax his fingers.
Verstappen was also physically battered at the USGP. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko said, “in the meantime his eyes went completely black.” Still, Verstappen prevailed against the seven-time World Champion in a tactical duel at around 30 degrees Celsius.
Helmut Marko confirmed that not only Sergio Perez but also Max Verstappen felt unwell with an upset stomach on race day at Austin. He drank a lot and used a special breathing technique to ease the problem. (via @andihaupt1)
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Max Verstappen guided the team at COTA
Despite having less experience in the sport, Verstappen led the team and guided them throughout the race leading them to victory. After his first pit stop, he told the command post on the radio to catch up with Perez so that Hamilton could not create a large tire delta.
Marko was delighted with the performance given by both the drivers. On Verstappen’s aggressive strategy in the race, Marko said, “It’s unbelievable what mental capacity he still has free. He drives a car at the limit, is in poor health, but still thinks about the strategy design.”
He also praised Perez and said, “the performance of both is to be assessed even higher. Verstappen has brought himself back into shape with breathing exercises and drinking. Perez ran too much water in the warm-up lap.”
“The stuff splashed around like the devil. Then he had to change the balaclava. In the race, he had no water. Something apparently went wrong with the adaptation from too much to less water. That was a good achievement,” he further added.
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