Max Verstappen, after a ‘not the most exciting race’ in Monaco, is looking forward to the race weekend in Spain. The Dutchman predicts that the performance of the RB21 at the Grand Prix in Barcelona will be closer to that of his victory in Imola. For Verstappen, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is also a special place on a personal level. Nine years ago, the Dutchman achieved his very first Formula 1 victory there.
With a fourth place for Max Verstappen and a seventeenth place for Yuki Tsunoda in Monaco, Red Bull heads towards Spain. The Austrian racing team lost the race retrospectively on Saturday. Verstappen could not qualify higher than a fourth starting position. During the race, overtaking was almost impossible, which is why the Dutchman also eventually crossed the finish line in fourth place.
“Monaco was not the most exciting race for us. We did everything right, but in the end, we couldn’t do much more in the race after the qualifying result,” Verstappen reflects one more time in the preview. The world champion hopes that the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will bring about a change. “Looking at Spain, the last race of the triple header, we hope to see a better performance and something closer to what we had in Imola.”
Verstappen is confident that a performance like the one in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, is also possible in Barcelona. “I think we should be more comfortable with the car and therefore more competitive,” the driver continues. “The circuit has a lot of history, long turns, and fast turns, and it’s always a good circuit to drive on. Spain is where I won my first Formula 1 race, so I have many special memories of it. Hopefully, we can perform as well as possible this week.” The Dutchman won his first race on the Barcelona track in 2016, nine years ago, becoming the youngest race winner in the history of the premier class.
A Circuit Well-Known to Drivers
Teammate Lando Norris is also looking forward to the race in Spain, particularly the delicious Spanish food. “This is a circuit that all drivers know well. We have already driven many test laps here. With the changes to the regulations, this weekend could be interesting,” the Japanese driver refers to the upcoming stricter controls by the FIA. “We hope to be more competitive on this type of circuit, with the mix of turns and the long straight stretch. Hopefully, as a team, we can give it our all and conclude the triple header on a positive note.”
