Verstappen fastest in Q2 ahead of Sainz and Russell

Verstappen brings the McLarens into line, Ferrari has mysterious problems

Sprint, in name and in fact. The duels in the initial stages between Verstapen and the McLarens of Norris and Piastri were excellent. Overtaking and counter-overtaking with the Englishman a bit naive in taking the world champion’s feints. A master of braking and tactics, someone who thrives in hand-to-hand combat. Perez eighth gives the measure of his class.

He brought everyone into line, as usual. Norris blames himself and not his teammate who mocked him by encouraging the world champion’s escape: «I don’t think it has anything to do with the fight between me and Oscar, Max had a little more. And I have to improve on many things, I make too many mistakes.” Harsh self-criticism from a driver who lost the last appointment, in Barcelona, ​​by making a wrong start. He’s not in shape, he’s affected. So many opportunities thrown away, this sprint is a bit reminiscent of that of 2022: when Leclerc and Sainz engaged in a duel which then paved the way for the usual Verstappen.

Very distant memories of what we saw on Friday and today too. What is the mysterious evil that has struck the Red Team, which went from second to fourth strength in the space of a month? To know. Sainz had managed to overtake Russell at the start then had to give up when faced with George’s return. In short, there was no pace, and if this is the starter for Sunday’s race there is nothing promising.

Leclerc started tenth after the mess with the anti-stall: a dash in the first meters with three positions recovered, then 23 laps (one less because a photographer was outside the safety position and the start was aborted) of suffering behind Hamilton. With the obligation to check the engine temperatures, confirming that reliability alarms are also hidden behind the slowness. The Red Bull Ring is a high-altitude track, 700 meters, where the power units push harder and if it is hot like these days even more. Here two years ago Sainz’s was roasted while his teammate won the race.

“We need a change of pace” Vasseur had said the day before, but for now there has been a constant decline. And this afternoon there are qualifying for Sunday’s GP, and in theory Ferrari shines even less on the flying lap this year than in the race. We will have to invent something to avoid the third row. . «We have to be on track, we are not fast enough at the moment. I want to try something different, a change of setup,
nothing exaggerated but if we qualify fourth or fifth it’s no good” was the comment of the Monegasque.

2024-06-29 14:37:50
#Verstappen #fastest #ahead #Sainz #Russell