When everything looked ready for Verstappen to shore up his championship bid with what would have been his 10th pole position of the year, the # 33 erred on the side of optimism and ended up against the wall as he went to close his best lap.
It is the first time in seven years of absolute dominance by Mercedes that those commanded by Toto Wolff have encountered a true rival, both on the track and away from it, that he faces an unstoppable streak that started back in 2014, coinciding with the premiere of the hybrid era in Formula 1.
Every point is vital for both championships, both the drivers ‘and the constructors’ championships, and proof of this is the indiscriminate choice of strategies that the two sides have carried out to return home with the one that allows setting the fastest lap in the race, distorting the race both Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas on occasions for this purpose.
Always riding at the limit is something that is in Max Verstappen’s DNA, who, although it has moderated very slightly over the years, has forced Lewis Hamilton to do the same if he wants to have any option of contesting the World Cup that many considered ‘the new Senna’ on his arrival in the category queen of motorsports.
Wounded lion
However, always being on the razor’s edge can end very well or very badly. In the first qualifying session in the history of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Verstappen came with all the ballots to proclaim himself poleman when, in the blink of an eye, he went straight against the wall and saw how he must settle for coming third.
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“It is clear that it’s terrible“Verstappen confessed. The ten victories for Red Bull so far this year, for the eight that Mercedes has carried, attest to how even everything is. «In general it was a good qualifying, but 3rd position is disappointing, knowing the lap that had been closing. I knew we had the rhythm, it became clear in the last part of the session, “he added.
«I don’t really understand what happenedBut I locked the tire and kept trying to keep the car on the track, trying to finish the lap, but I hit the rear end and had to stop. Even so, the car is fast, let’s see what we can do in the race, “concluded Verstappen.