Can Max Verstappen win in Japan? 'At the moment, I don't think so'

Ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, Verstappen was asked about the improvements they could make to this year’s car compared to last year's. He said, “We are always actively discussing, but some issues are easier to solve than others, and some are more difficult.”

He then admitted the team has known there was an issue for a while. “ I think from the last half of the season, I think everyone was well aware of where we had to look.”

Regarding Red Bull’s performance and his direct competitors, Lando Norris and McLaren, he said, “Yeah, every track is a bit different, but at the moment they're quite, I think, comfortably ahead. Never say never. I mean, we come to every race, we can try to get the best out of the car, try to optimise our performances."

But can he pull off a win? “At the moment, I don't think even if we optimise our performance that is enough, but we keep working.”

He admits, “It's a combination of a lot of things. And it depends also on the corner speed, the tarmac, tyres, overheating, bumps, curbs, there's a lot you know different things, and then some tracks, some bits are more limiting than others. It depends a lot on the track layout as well.”