F1 News
Verstappen wanted different strategy: "It was worth a gamble"
Max Verstappen looks to be taking the positives after finishing P2 at the Australian Grand Prix. In a race that saw three safety cars and changeable conditions, going from wt to dry and then back to wet, the Dutchman drove a clean and calculated race to take P2, but he was unable to beat a brilliant Lando Norris.
Verstappen started in P3 behind the two McLarens, but a nice start off the line saw him overtake Oscar Piastri to move up into second place. However, a rare mistake from the Dutchman saw him lock up and drop back behind the Australian, then unable to catch up with a rapid McLaren.
But after Piastri's mistake that saw him beach his car and drop right to the back of the grid, the four-time world champion was able to jump back up to P2, and although he applied some pressure on leader Norris in the final few laps, he was unable to make a move to take the win.
Verstappen happy with P2 after "difficult race"
Speaking to Jolyon Palmer post-race, Verstappen said: "It was a difficult race, of course, but at the end it was fun. Lando had a little moment in Turn 6 which is why I got close. It was fun, pushing, fighting for the win but I'm just happy to bring it home, score good points and this is a good start for us."
However, there was something that he hoped his team would have been able to do in regard to strategy to perhaps put him in front of Norris: "[When] I stayed out, the first lap was alright but the weather continued. At the end of the day, if we had boxed one lap earlier, we would have been P2 anyway so it was worth a gamble. It was quite spicy on the slick tyres.
"This is where I expected to be, it is 18 points more than I had here last year, so I'll take that," concluded Verstappen.