Verstappen continues to voice concerns: 'This can't keep going well'

"If you have to drive at 101 per cent every time as a driver, of course it will go wrong at some point," Verstappen revealed after qualifying in Spain. Verstappen still won the Spanish Grand Prix but did notice that it has become increasingly difficult to stay faultless in recent weeks. Speaking to GPblog and others in Austria, Verstappen elaborated on this.

"Yes, there is that chance. There is a bigger chance of course that there will be a small mistake at an important moment, but that is for everyone. I do feel that everyone is really pushing full out to try to win over us."

Why Verstappen is more on the limit

"We always responded well as a team, also in Barcelona I think. With that overtaking at the beginning, that we were ahead there, but also with the team's strategy. That we just did everything right compared to others. But... Others are also learning and we just have to make sure we make it a bit easier for ourselves by getting a slightly better car with updates.''

With Verstappen increasingly having to drive at the limit, the risk of making mistakes increases. Incidentally, Verstappen himself does not class the moment during the race in Spain as one of those. ''That was just the tyres being too old and that you just hit that kerb. A small moment, but that wasn't too bad."

Of course, for the viewers it is nice that Verstappen is again challenged by the competition, Verstappen prefers to see it differently. "I prefer it of course that we just have a better car. Of course it's not a bad car, but of course we just want to keep winning. In the end, of course, out of the last four races we won three, but not on pure pace. So you do have to look at that."

So apparently it is in the car, but Verstappen has to work harder for it now than a year ago. "It does work, but as I say, and I speak from experience: it won't keep going well."

Verstappen, therefore, warned Red Bull Racing and Christian Horner that the team must keep pushing to avoid being overtaken by the competition. Horner called it somewhat normal for the competition to get closer, but Verstappen does not want to see the current situation as normal.