Max Verstappen: Red Bull “could take more risks” in qualifying
F1 News
- Bevan Youl
Max Verstappen has said that Aston Martin Red Bull Racing could have had better results in qualifying if the team took “more risks” on timings.
2019 has been the Dutchman’s most consistent season of his career so far, claiming two wins in Austria and Germany as well as his maiden pole in Hungary.
But Red Bulls pace generally over one lap has been behind in comparison to Ferrari and Mercedes, something Verstappen feels could be changed to benefit their race chances.
Majority of teams use their drivers to give each other a tow round the track for extra speed or other cars in front for a slipstream to gain a couple of tenths per lap.
"In qualifying we come up short on the straights anyway," Verstappen told Ziggo Sports.
"Everyone was in each other's slipstream, within five to six seconds of each other. That will give you one and a half to two tenths. In the first sector you want to be six seconds behind, but in the last sector you win time. I did my qualifying lap all on my own, and that happens more often, that you do not get a slipstream.
"These cars are very sensitive to that. In the end we could have been fifth or in the best scenario third.
"We do not have much to lose, so I think we could take some more risks. Then I would hope to make just that extra step in qualifying to end ahead of Mercedes or Ferrari."