Ten races, seven victories, 69 points ahead in the drivers’ standings: Max Verstappen looks happy when he looks back at his most recent victory in Barcelona and his triumph two weeks earlier in Canada. Then the smile gives way to serious features. The Formula 1 world champion puts his dazzling statistics in this Formula 1 season into perspective: “I could also say we won, everything was good – but of course I don’t see it that way,” he reported on Thursday in the Red Bull paddock -Rings in Styria: “Everything is a little more difficult for us at the moment, we have to be honest.” Verstappen loves the wheel-to-wheel duel. A little more, but the nice feeling in the cockpit, being able to play with his car. When the RB20 chases itself over the curbs with enthusiasm, when the reduced tire wear can be enjoyed like last year when Verstappen played with everything, including his opponents. “Things can’t be solved overnight.” Winners like the Dutchman are only satisfied when they dominate. These days, shortly before the racing weekend in Styria with the Sprint (Saturday, 12 p.m.) and the Grand Prix (Sunday, 3 p.m. in the F.A.Z. live ticker for Formula 1 and on Sky), Verstappen is dissatisfied. “It is clear that we are missing a few things. (…) We have to work on that. The drivability of the car and the balance,” says the champion. The competition has known this for a long time. The postscript probably makes them sit up and take notice: “But these things can’t be solved overnight.” Red Bull under pressure. This is no longer news before the eleventh of 24 Grands Prix, recent victories or not. The claim that the best car of this World Cup phase bore the name McLaren has now also become established. Since the race in Miami, where Lando Norris won, the MCL38 has been considered the benchmark. Ideal for use on any type of route. Verstappen acts as a witness, even though he hasn’t driven an inch in the new “lead vehicle” so far. “Better balance”, “strong front axle”, an attack model in curves “without the tires overheating”. According to the list, the lead should be enormous. There are nuances. Everyone is rushing him. Norris started from pole position in Barcelona because he drove a touch faster: 0.02 seconds. He gave away the advantage the next day at the start. Verstappen accepts such presents with a kiss. They now need him, his team, to be able to escape to the finish line after being chased by the hunting community. McLaren is only the first among the promising pursuers. Mercedes seems to be on the way back to the top, Ferrari is expecting a better effect in Austria from its tuning, which was rather ineffective in Spain. The trend points to an overtaking maneuver past Red Bull on the Austrian racing team’s home track. However, the pursuers have one weakness in common: they make more small mistakes than the world champions. Norris blames his start on himself, the team had longer pit stops, Mercedes showed a need for optimization in the strategy, Ferrari seemed slowed down despite new parts, the drivers were at odds. Norris speaks of “tiny little things. A lot of things were at the level we need so that we can win some races.” If not everyone competed together against Verstappen: “Against one of the best drivers in history, against one of the most powerful teams.”Verstappen’s confessionWhat Norris could have meant? The self-image of Verstappen and his team, their deep trust in doing everything right. Red Bull won 22 of the 23 races last year, Verstappen won 19. The odds this year are not much worse. But the danger of losing this head start grows with the feeling of happiness at McLaren in rediscovering the long-buried belief in one’s own strength. The famous Formula 1 company’s last constructor’s title was 26 years ago. McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari have felt for weeks that it was their turn that they could drive Red Bull into mistakes if they didn’t make even the smallest one: “Only one thing didn’t go perfectly (in Barcelona/ed.),” said Norris, “That’s it.”More on the topicVerstappen sees the threat and reacts publicly. His confirmation on Thursday that he would also drive for Red Bull in 2025 serves to combine forces. He doesn’t want to stir up unrest in the team given Mercedes’ aggressive advertising. This was followed by a cry for help from within because he has to do more than is possible: “We have to make sure that we make the car better. Then I wouldn’t have to drive 101 percent every time.”Verstappen takes pole position for sprint in AustriaWorld champion Max Verstappen starts the Formula 1 sprint in Austria from first place on the grid. The 26-year-old Dutchman earned pole position for the short race on Saturday (12 p.m./Sky) in Spielberg with a time of 1:04.686 minutes. At Verstappen’s employer’s Red Bull Ring, McLaren driver Lando Norris took second place in the time hunt on Friday, just 0.093 seconds behind, while his teammate Oscar Piastri came third. The German Nico Hülkenberg only drove his Haas racing car across the finish line in 17th place. “It’s great to be first here. “It was a fantastic day in front of my fans,” said Verstappen. “We still have a lot to do, but this was a very good start to the weekend for us.” Verstappen had already secured pole position in the sprint in Miami and now once again has the best prospects for the next victory. The three-time champion had previously had electronic problems during training and had to take a short break. In qualifying, Verstappen set the best time in all three sections, only at the very end things got tight for a short time. The course in Styria is one of his favorite routes. Also because thousands of Dutch fans are supporting him in the stands. The third of a total of six sprint weekends this season is taking place in Austria. After the 100 kilometer competition, in which the winner receives eight World Championship points, qualifying for the actual Grand Prix will take place on Saturday afternoon a day later. Before the eleventh of a total of 24 races of the season on Sunday (3 p.m. in the F.A.Z. live ticker for Formula 1 and on Sky), defending champion Verstappen comfortably leads Norris in the overall standings with 69 points. Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari is only two more points behind in third place. (dpa)
Go to Source