Verstappen calm after Hamilton attack: 'Been in this position before'

Red Bull Racing turnaround

On Friday, Mercedes seemed to be the master of the Circuit of the Americas, but on Saturday Red Bull Racing hit back. After the win, Verstappen hailed the turnaround as an important moment in the weekend. On Friday it didn't look as if Verstappen would win the race in America.

''First of all, I think the turnaround from Friday to Saturday with the car,'' Verstappen said when asked during the press conference about the most important moment of the weekend. "I think we found a better set-up but then again also to the race, we of course start on pole, we lose the race and we went aggressive on strategy and it paid out, but it can also very easily swing, if you go to early or if you’re not reacting in time so it’s really tough out there, when it’s so close between two teams."

Verstappen under pressure

Stopping early for the second set of hard tyres meant Verstappen still held the race lead but gave Hamilton an opportunity to attack with much fresher tyres in the final stages of the race. In previous scenarios between these two drivers, the driver on the fresh tyres often won, but that was not the case this time.

"I’ve been in this position before where you are in the lead with the older tyres or the other way around where you are hunting. I just tried to do the best I could and tried to be consistent, trying to find the grip within the tyre, without damaging too much. It wasn’t easy but I think at the end of the day that made it really exciting," concludes the Dutchman.