The Max Verstappen from his dominant 2023 Season would absolutely not have legsatfied with pole position in a grand prix weekend without the Victory the next day. In 2025, Just a pole already gives the reigning world champion a good feeling.
“Yes, Given the Circumstances We Are in Now, Absolutely,” Verstappen Answers on Saturday when Asked if he is already happy with a single pole.
At Monza, he Silenced the Ferrari fans on Saturday in qualifying with a new track record and also Beat the Dominant Duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. But Verstappen also knows: “McLaren is very strong in the race.”
That race is not until Sunday, so Verstappen Enyys the moment with a broad smile. Then it’s not so much about track records and other statistics. Red Bull Finally Experienced A Weekend in Monza in which the Car Does Not Appear to Be An Almost Unsolvable Puzzle Again.
And that has its effect on the driver: “It’s bone a long time since i felt this good,” he says a satisfied look in the press tent at monza.
Adjustment Didn’t Have To Be Overhauled Once
Despite Knowing That the Red Bull Performs Slightly Better On The Faster Circuits, Verstappen Did Not Go Into The Weekend with High Expectations. But on Friday, the RB21 Already Appeared to Be Able to Keep Up With The Best And The Adjustment Therefore Did Not Have To Be Hawl. That happened more of now not this season.
Not that Verstappen, Looking at the McLarens, Attaches Too Much Value to Two Good Free Practice Sessions. “Sometimes you think we are there on Friday and then you get completely destroyed on Sunday. But now I was really satisfied.”
Lessons Learned at Zandvoort Worked Out Well Accordination to the Limburger. “We learned a lot there about the car. Now we hope that we can hold on to that.”
‘Little was needed’
Then it is Mainly about the amount of interventions that are needed to keep the RB21 Somewhat Under Control. Now Little was needed, or as Verstappen calls it: “small things”. “And then you can take steps forward from session to session Instead of Everything Having to Be Turned Upside Down Again.”
It makes Verstappen Think Back to his Most Dominant Season. “In 2023 we naturally had such a lead that you didnn’t just take the risk of bar a certain turn with the adjustment. But this year really has to be done sometimes. In any case, the last races.” But not now. “And that’s really long ago,” Verstappen Notes with Satisfaction.
Yet the Dutchman Still had to push through his opinion about the very last adjustments for qualifying. “Some in the Team Wanted to Do Something Different, But I Wanted what we have done now,” Verstappen says about the run-up to the battle for the starting places.
Laughing: “When I walked away from the pit box again, I SAW A Few people still Doubting, But I just felt that we had to do this. Ultimately I make the decisions, or course in Consultation WITH Gianpiero Lambian and People Around Him.”
“And I understood that there were some questions, but I am the one who is in the car and feels it, so I trusted it to do some small things and that it would be better.”
‘No Mistakes in My Laps’
Yet it was extremely close together in qualifying and lightning-fast laps were needed to actual convert a better weekend into the best starting place. Verstappen Still Suffers from the Car’s Biggest Ailment at Monza: Understeer in the middle of the corner. “But that was a bit better to manage here.”
“In Q3 there were no mistakes in My Laps, which is Quite Difficult at Monza. At Such Speeds, When Braking For The Chicanes, It is Difficult to Hit The Apex (The iDeal Line, Ed.), But That All Worked Out Well.”
Now that tough battle with norris and piastri still awaits, a battle that Verstappen is realistic about. “I have a very small amount more top speed, but you also have to be fast through the corners. And that is where they are always very good.”
“And they have always leg better with the tires. That is still their advantage. But I hope it feels a bit better with us and that I have a chans to participate.” The Italian Grand Prix Starts on Sunday at 3:00 pm.