The “Orange Army” has always been well rewarded on this trip to Styria in the past: Red Bull driver Verstappen obviously has the bonus of home advantage with four victories at the Red Bull Ring. Next weekend he could win two trophies – before the Grand Prix on Sunday there is already a sprint race on Saturday.
The altitude and the route layout of the “hill and valley train” in Spielberg seems to be tailored to the Red Bull car or its Honda engine. The fact that the meteorologists are forecasting a weekend without precipitation not only pleases the many fans from the Netherlands, most of whom will be staying at the campsites, but also the Red Bull team. If you have a technical advantage, you don’t need a rain lottery to win.
Mature world champion
In any case, Red Bull racing consultant Helmut Marko is convinced that the vehicle and driver will come to Spielberg in top form. “Without damage, Max would have won easily at Silverstone as well. The special atmosphere at Spielberg and now driving in front of his own fans will inspire him, as always,” says the Styrian, who praises the 24-year-old Dutchman in the highest tones. Marko: “In terms of character, dedication, self-confidence and charisma, I would compare Max to Ayrton Senna.”
Verstappen, who has been contractually bound to the Red Bull team for an unusually long time (currently until 2028), not only seems to belong to the present, but also to the future. “I think he can drive at this level for a whole decade,” says at least Marko, who says that the world champion has gone through a personal maturing process. “He can now prioritize what’s important and accept what’s out of his hands. When he was younger, he cursed like a sparrow.”
Even though he recently had to settle for seventh place at Silverstone due to a broken underbody, Verstappen is coming to Spielberg with a comfortable lead in the World Championship today. Team-mate Sergio Perez is 34 points behind as the first pursuer. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, who dominated at the beginning of the season, is already 43 points behind and, unlike Verstappen, does not have number 1 status in his own team. With Silverstone winner Carlos Sainz, his teammate is a rival and not a helpful pal. (chz)
Source: Nachrichten
