Max Verstappen Reflects on His Rivality with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri After the Azerbaijan Grand Prix: “I’m Taking It Step by Step”

Max Verstappen has achieved his fourth victory of the season at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and his goal is to replicate this success in the upcoming races to fight for the championship against the McLaren F1 team. Before the race in Italy, Verstappen was more than 100 points behind the leader, and most concerning was that McLaren’s MCL39 showed superior performance to the RB21 on track. However, after two consecutive race wins, the Dutch driver has managed to reduce that gap to 69 points, giving him hope of closing in on the lead with seven competitions remaining in the season. The weekend in Baku already anticipated the potential he could display during the race.

Verstappen Closes in on Norris and Piastri

Verstappen’s Red Bull proved to have the necessary pace in long runs to fight for victory, as stated by Helmut Marko. Following a qualifying session marked by numerous red flags, Verstappen managed to secure pole position, leaving Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris behind. However, the Australian crashed into the wall shortly after the race started, while the Briton could not advance beyond seventh position.

At the front, Verstappen maintained a safe distance from his immediate competitors, which included the two Mercedes drivers and Carlos Sainz, who secured his first podium with Williams. The race was described by Verstappen as “straightforward,” and regarding the championship, the Red Bull driver hopes to remain a strong contender in the upcoming Grands Prix, although he acknowledges that the 69-point deficit to Piastri is a considerable challenge.

 

Reflections on the Title Fight

“Is there hope for the title? I’m under no illusions. There are seven races ahead and 69 points to recover is a big challenge. Personally, I don’t focus on that. I go race by race, as I have done throughout the season. We will know more after Abu Dhabi,” Verstappen commented.

The driver continued talking about his performance in the race: “The car felt very good on both tire compounds. We had clean air the whole time, which allowed us to manage the tires properly. It was a fairly direct process. Of course, it’s not easy here; it was very windy, which makes the car move constantly. I am really very satisfied with this performance,” he added.

Furthermore, Verstappen mentioned: “It’s difficult to point it out at this moment, but the last few weekends have been really positive for us. Singapore will present a completely different challenge, as we compete there with high downforce. We will see what we can do there,” the Red Bull driver concluded.

In this way, Verstappen seeks to remain calm regarding the possibility of continuing to compete for the championship after his second consecutive victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. His methodical approach and ability to adapt to circumstances are key to his strategy to close in on the championship lead.

 

Curiosities about Verstappen and his Season

  • Verstappen has achieved four victories in the current season, showing impressive performance in various race conditions.

  • The Red Bull driver has significantly cut the points gap to his competitors in the last two races.

  • McLaren’s MCL39 has proven to be a formidable rival, outpacing the RB21 in speed on several occasions.

  • The next race in Singapore presents itself as a challenge due to its unique configuration and the need for high downforce.

  • Verstappen has maintained a mindset focused on race-by-race competition, which could be crucial for his success in the upcoming events.

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