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Verstappen has long list of problems with the RB20
- Nicole Mulder
After three home victories in a row, Max Verstappen was defeated for the first time at a Dutch Grand Prix. Lando Norris had a huge pace advantage over the Red Bull Racing car in his McLaren. Verstappen did not react with surprise after the Formula 1 race.
Verstappen balks at RB20 after second place at home GP
"We just weren't fast enough, but that wasn't something I didn't anticipate," Verstappen began in talking to Viaplay. "I had a good start, led a few laps, but in the end I couldn't keep up very quickly. The tyres didn't hold up and just didn't have the speed. I defended once, the second time he came very early so then you can't really do anything anymore."
It is clear that Red Bull's F1 car is lacking in several areas. "The balance of the car, the tyres wear too hard, but that has been the case recently. Oversteer, understeer. Just no balance in the car," summed up the three-time world champion.
Might a different pit stop strategy have been an option? Verstappen doesn't think so. "A two-stop would have been too slow. This was the only thing we could do," he observes. "I just didn't have the speed. I couldn't attack, the car wasn't turning and I had oversteer at the same time. Just very difficult to drive."
One bright spot at the Dutch GP was the frenzied crowd for the defending champion, which had come en masse to the circuit. Before the start, the Dutchman had a word with Helmut Marko, who also enjoyed the atmosphere. "He liked that, and of course so did I. The atmosphere here is always super, of course. That's the positive thing about the day," Verstappen said.
This article was written in collaboration with Kada Sarkozi
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