Max Verstappen revealed that the conditions at Suzuka track have placed him in an anxious situation. The Dutchman stated that the Japanese Grand Prix is not “as comfortable” as the initial races of the season or his performance in 2023.
Even though Max Verstappen dominated all the practice sessions and qualifications and secured a pole position in the Japanese GP, he was dissatisfied with his performance.
After the qualifications, Verstappen praised the Suzuka track and the improvements in the car’s performance, especially in high-speed sections, which made his qualifying experience even more enjoyable.
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However, he still had to face some issues related to RB20’s tire overheating and losing grip on the tires. Let’s know more about this situation and what type of issues Max Verstappen had to face with the RB20, particularly regarding tire overheating and loss of grip, leading to a need for a closer examination of the Verstappen matter.
Unveiling the Reasons Behind Verstappen’s Discomfort At The Suzuka Circuit.
After the first practice session, Max and the other drivers had to deal with some light rain during the FP2 session. This changed their plans, so during the third session on Saturday morning, they concentrated on gathering information for long runs instead of practicing for qualifying.
After qualifying for the pole position, Verstappen appeared dissatisfied when asked about it. He stated that he was unable to increase his speed for an advantage due to tire overheating at some point.
He explained that he began losing time from turn 13, focusing on tire sensitivity. Pushing too hard in sector 1 caused him to lose grip on the tires towards the end of his final lap.
Max Verstappen regarding his race pace:
"I'm not too happy with my long runs (in FP3), we weren't as fast as I would like, so that's still a bit of a question mark heading into the race. Ferrari for example looked really comfortable, while they weren't that fast over one lap… pic.twitter.com/lbBlDlkUjK
— RBR Daily (@RBR_Daily) April 6, 2024
Verstappen thought this could cause a serious problem in the main race, and perhaps that is why he was dissatisfied with his performance, even after achieving a pole position for Sunday’s race event. The reason for his dissatisfaction could be because Verstappen always strives for perfection.
Overall, Verstappen’s dominant performance in qualifying showcases his determination to bounce back from his previous setback in Australia, where he ended his winning streak to Carlos Sainz.
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While he acknowledges areas of improvement, he maintains optimism and remains focused on delivering a strong performance in the Japanese GP.
Gaurang is a writer at the SportsOrbit covering articles related to F1,Gaurang was 14 when he cared more about playing football than studying. But when COVID hit and he had to stay home, he discovered Formula 1. It immediately caught his interest. Since then, he’s been really into Formula 1, watching every race and learning all about it. He still loves football, but now he’s also a big fan of Formula 1, especially Lewis Hamilton. Even though he loves racing, he still looks up to Cristiano Ronaldo as his idol.