Christian Horner reveals why Max Verstappen’s dramatic pleas for a pit stop for the fastest lap were refused

Max Verstappen was pushing his team for an extra pitstop in the later stages of the race, which the team denied.

Christian Horner reveals why Max Verstappen’s dramatic pleas for a pit stop for the fastest lap were refused

Christian Horner (Left, credits: Planet F1) and Max Verstappen (Right, credits: Business Insider India)

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen dominated the Belgian GP, clinching victory with an impressive 22-second lead over teammate Sergio Perez. The Austrian team had a flawless weekend, triumphing in both races and securing a remarkable 1-2 finish in the main event. The only missed opportunity was claiming the fastest lap, which the team opted not to chase after and prevented them from achieving a perfect weekend with the maximum points.

With the driver’s championship lead by a staggering 117 points and a massive 250-point lead over Mercedes, losing a single point seemed trivial for Red Bull’s title aspirations. The team remained firm on their decision, despite Max Verstappen‘s radio insistence. “We didn’t want to get too greedy because we won the sprint race yesterday, a 1-2 finish today,” Horner said, discussing why they did not Max for the fastest lap. “We didn’t want to end up with egg on our face,” he is quoted by Motorsports.com. 

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A typical pitstop at Spa takes around 19 to 20 seconds, and any ill-fated disruption during the pitstop could have jeopardized Max’s lead. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton swooped in for the bonus point with a fresh set of soft tires. “To give away one point, I don’t think anybody will lose too much sleep over it tonight,” quipped Christian Horner.

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Christian Horner believes they need to review why Sergio Perez struggled against Max Verstappen

Sergio Perez and Christian Horner
Sergio Perez and Christian Horner (Credits: GPFans)

Max Verstappen’s current form is phenomenal, notching up his eighth consecutive win, only one short of Sebastian Vettel’s record. The reigning champion showcased incredible pace on the medium tire stint, lapping nearly half a second quicker than his teammate on the same tires. “He drove an incredible race today,” Horner praised. 

The Dutchman snatched the lead off of Perez’s hands in just 17 laps, despite starting in sixth. “Checo obviously didn’t defend too hard because of the speed difference between the two of them,” noted Horner. “We need to go through why he comparatively struggled on the medium tyre,” the Briton added. 

Red Bull wanted to replicate their bold move from the Austrian GP, where Verstappen pitted for fresh soft tires. Their audacity paid off, securing the fastest lap on the last lap, and winning by almost 6 seconds, despite the risk. This victory completes a remarkable hattrick for Max Verstappen at Circuit de Spa Francorchamps.

Red Bull’s confidence in Verstappen is reciprocated, as he playfully referred to the fastest lap as ‘pitstop training’. Their focus on the 1-2 finish displayed a well-calibrated strategy, leading to an exceptional victory at Spa. F1 will return after a four-week hiatus on account of the summer break, and it remains to be seen if any team can put an end to their current winning streak. 

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