With Silverstone the first part of the season was over, with 12 races out of 24 played. In these 12 races we have seen the leadership take more than one direction. In the first phase of the season Red Bull had a clear advantage over the competition, which left us thinking of a 2023 encore. However this advantage began to disappear after the Miami Grand Prix which saw the revelation of another team, McLaren. McLaren suddenly found itself having closed the gap with the Austrians, leaving Ferrari and Mercedes behind. Although late, Mercedes caught up with the leading group, taking two victories which once again made them a potentially dangerous opponent. Despite the difficulties, Max Verstappen said he was quite pleased with the progress of this world championship, a world championship in which the fights became more physical, rekindling his hunger for victory.
From dominance to three-way battle, Verstappen talks about the first part of the season
All things considered, Red Bull hasn't won for two weekends in a row, and the closeness of McLaren and Mercedes has forced Verstappen to have to fight very often for the podium too. In Hungary, for these last two races before the summer break Verstappen will be able to count on a new package of updates, hoping to resolve the difficulties of the RB20. However, this does not mean that this will be enough. In fact, according to Verstappen, Red Bull will not be able to return to the levels shown in 2023. The motivation is above all to be found in the growth of its opponents, as Max Verstappen underlines: a three-way fight that has made this season much more unpredictable and beautiful.
In a recent interview, Dutch driver Max Verstappen shared his enthusiasm for the current season, describing it as a real battle between the best drivers and teams in the world. After dominating for two years Verstappen returned to a more open confrontation again, as in 2021. Verstappen began by underlining the exceptional period that Red Bull has experienced, describing recent years as "fantastic". He acknowledged the strong start to the current season and the intense competition that followed: “Now everyone is catching up a little bit. Every race is a real battle and it's fantastic. "
Verstappen: “I don't know what will happen but this uncertainty is good for sport”
The Dutch driver then focused on the uncertainty and competitiveness that permeates the championship, expressing his belief that this trend will continue for the rest of the season. “We don't know what will happen and that's great for the sport. It's fantastic to have so many strong drivers in F1 and fighting for the win,” added Verstappen. This scenario, with multiple competitive teams, is what Verstappen believes Formula 1 fans want to see.
In conclusion, Max Verstappen looked with optimism at the future of the season, predicting an equally exciting continuation: “The rest of the season will be very good."
Source statements: FormulaPassion
