Can Verstappen make it easier on himself? 'He isn’t yet comfortable'
F1 News
- GPblog.com
Max Verstappen is convincingly at the top of the World Championship after his victory in Azerbaijan. The Dutchman has already won five races this season, making him the best performing driver of 2022. Yet Lawrence Barretto sees room for improvement.
The Formula One journalist analyzes at Formula1.com extensively the proportions between Ferrari, Red Bull Racing and Mercedes. In doing so, he comes to the conclusion that the Austrian racing stable makes things difficult for itself almost every Grand Prix weekend by not taking pole position in qualifying.
Ferrari often better over one lap
Although Ferrari often gets the short end of the stick in the race, Charles Leclerc in particular proves almost every GP weekend that the F1-75 is the better car on one lap. Also in Baku, the Monegasque took the first starting spot, but in the first corner Sergio Perez already passed him.
Barretto notices that it is gnawing at Verstappen's confidence. According to him, Verstappen is in excellent shape thanks to his wins this season, but he would make things easier for himself if he could start at the front. He therefore sees room for improvement for Red Bull.
"Verstappen isn’t yet comfortable with the RB18, particularly in qualifying trim," Barretto observes. "But he’s made up for it on Sunday afternoon, capitalising on the team’s superior race pace, tyre management and straight-line speed to wrestle four wins in five. Imagine what he’ll be like once he gets on top of his one-lap struggle."