Following his triumphant performance in Italy, Max Verstappen is now on the eve of the race weekend in Baku. The Dutchman has set clear goals for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the first race after the end of the European leg of the season, and also anticipates several challenges. Meanwhile, teammate Yuki Tsunoda hopes to continue making progress in order to get closer to Verstappen, who is considered the benchmark.
Max Verstappen crossed the finish line at Monza nearly twenty seconds ahead of second-place Lando Norris. The Dutchman thus secured his third victory of the season, a much-needed boost for the Red Bull team. “Monza was an incredible race for us and we made a significant step forward with the car’s setup,” Verstappen reflects in the preview of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The world champion, of course, celebrated his victory with the team, but it was soon back to the simulator. “With the race in Baku, the European part of the season is over, and that’s always a bit of a challenge on the street circuit,” Verstappen continues. “Due to the combination of slow corners and the long straight, you have to find a compromise in the setup and it’s also important to find the right rear wing setting. Hopefully, we can carry this positive form into this week and also perform well in the qualifiers.”
‘Max is the Benchmark’
Yuki Tsunoda, who finished in thirteenth place in Italy, had less to write home about than his teammate. However, the Japanese driver is focusing on the positive aspects of the Italian race weekend. “Like how strong we were in qualifying and that the pace was there if we hadn’t sustained damage,” Tsunoda lists. “We are making progress week after week, Max has shown with the victory of the Italian GP why he is the benchmark. We know that we are getting closer to him race after race, so it’s reassuring to know that the work we are doing is bearing fruit in some way.”
Tsunoda hopes that the lessons his side of the Red Bull garage learned in Italy will help achieve a good result on the street circuit in Azerbaijan. “Baku is a fun, challenging circuit that can provide many surprises. You really need to be focused here to get the most out of it and that’s what I’m going to try to do this weekend,” the Japanese driver concludes.
