Max Verstappen says his Crimson Bull Racing automobile is performing higher than it has all season after successful back-to-back grands prix for the primary time since final June.
Verstappen managed the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, main each lap from pole and setting the quickest lap for his sixth profession grand slam. He’s solely the second driver to win the Baku race greater than as soon as, following former teammate Sergio Perez.
The victory follows a equally dominant win in Italy two weeks in the past, the place he claimed victory by the largest margin of the season. Requested whether or not this was one of the best his RB21 had felt this yr, having claimed his sixth pole on path to his fourth victory, the Dutchman replied within the affirmative.
“Along with Monza, yep,” he stated. “Monza has by no means actually been a very sturdy observe for us, so to try this, that was already an enormous plus.
“For me right here in Baku, it’s been all proper however by no means wonderful, aside from possibly 2021 and 2022, however the remainder has all the time been a bit tough. So to have a weekend like this, it was essential.”
It wasn’t simply concerning the end result for the reigning champion; it was additionally about the best way he was in a position to construct as much as Sunday after which run what he described as a “fairly easy” race.
“Total only a nice weekend for us,” he stated. “I’m very pleased with how the race was going – I imply, I might go very lengthy in that first stint. The automobile was doing just about what I needed it to do.
“We simply stayed out till principally everybody pitted, after which there have been only some laps left on the medium, clearing a number of backmarkers, which took a little bit of time. However after that, simply bringing it house.
“For us that’s one other simply nice end result. A bit uncommon – this season has been actually swinging left and proper, however at the least now two weekends in a row, it’s been going very well.”
Two races is sufficient of a development for McLaren boss Andrea Stella, who suspects the improve dropped at the Crimson Bull Racing automobile in Italy has reset the pecking order and made Verstappen a daily victory contender once more.
Baku and Monza are two of probably the most excessive circuits on the calendar. Each are dominated by lengthy straights, although their nook profiles are completely different. Verstappen cautioned {that a} bigger pattern dimension was wanted earlier than drawing conclusions on Crimson Bull Racing’s resurgence.
“It’s tough to say in the meanwhile,” he stated. “However for positive the final two race weekends have been wonderful for us. Singapore [the next race] is a very completely different problem once more with the excessive downforce, so we’ll see what we are able to do there.”
However the Dutchman gave shorter shrift to the concept that his diminished 69-point deficit to title chief Oscar Piastri made him a championship contender once more.
“I don’t depend on hope,” he stated. “But it surely’s seven rounds left. Sixty-nine factors is loads, so I personally don’t give it some thought.
“I simply go race by race, what I’ve been doing principally the entire season, simply making an attempt to do one of the best we are able to, attempt to rating probably the most factors that we are able to, after which after Abu Dhabi we’ll know.”
