“I think this was something really special,” David Coulthard extremely impressed by Max Verstappen’s qualifying exploits at Zandvoort
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Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen, after the Dutch Grand Prix qualifying, has secured another pole position this season, and former Red Bull driver, David Coulthard has been left in complete awe of the Dutchman’s performance.
Friday was tough for Red Bull as compared to their lofty standards, but the team was able to turn it around when it mattered and is now sitting pretty at the top with pole position in the packet of Max Verstappen ahead of the race.
Coulthard has praised the 24-year-old Red Bull starlet for his mega outing and has said, “I thought this was something really special.”
“I think the Ferrari was actually a better, faster car on the day, but Max just dug deep. He exploited where he was quick. To be a little bit down in that first sector, he knows he’s got to work hard in the middle sector.”
What impressed Coulthard most about Verstappen’s outing was how calm he was able to stay during the tricky corner where his teammate lost his bearings and went into a spin. He further added, “So again, super impressive performance.”
Also Read: “They did such a bad job there,” Nico Rosberg critical of Alpine for losing Oscar Piastri
Ferrari has to get on the aggressive in order to get the better of Max Verstappen
David Coulthard believes, that tomorrow, tire management is going to be key in making or breaking a team’s race, and while stressing over it said, “As we know from last year, Lewis Hamilton was pushing Max all the way to the chequered flag, so he had to be flawless. He couldn’t make one mistake.“
“Again, I think track position after the final stop is going to be the deciding factor.”
Moreover, Coulthard has indicated that if Ferrari is to beat Red Bull, then it would have to bring its A-game, just like the Milton-Keynes-based team managed last year. He further adds, “To be conservative I think is not the way you need to race this now.”
Mercedes has so far, proved to be a strong player in Zandvoort, but the former Red Bull man feels that they would not be able to pose a serious challenge during the upcoming race.
While discussing the Silver Arrows, Coulthard said, “Under normal running conditions, I still believe that it’s a Ferrari-Red Bull battle out at the front, unless of course, Ferrari does something with the strategy that doesn’t quite work, and then it brings Mercedes into play.”
David Coulthard believes that Mercedes is not going to become a nuisance for Red Bull and further thinks, that it is again going to be a battle between Ferrari and Red Bull for the top spot.
Zandvoort historically does not have the best track record when it comes to overtaking, and considering the race-trim pace of Red Bull and Ferrari, the Brit’s prediction could certainly prove to be true.
Also Read: ‘Not fast enough today’: Valtteri Bottas gives his verdict on a disappointing qualifying session
Also Read: “Max nailed it,” Christian Horner praised Max Verstappen for a clutch pole at the Dutch GP
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Rishabh Negi
(3244 Articles Published)