Red Bull’s Max Verstappen expressed his dissatisfaction with his second-place finish in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, held on the Jeddah Corniche circuit. Verstappen’s team-mate, Sergio Perez, claimed the victory while Fernando Alonso finished third. The podium finishers were the same as those from the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, but the positions were reversed.
Verstappen’s weekend began with an odd exit from the qualifying session on Saturday after experiencing a drive shaft issue in Q2. As a result, he had to start the race from the fifteenth place. Despite putting up a strong fight during the race, the Dutchman was not content with his second-place finish, and he made his dissatisfaction clear after the race, stating that he did not want to be second.
The Dutch driver’s discontentment may have stemmed from his team’s ongoing reliability issues. Red Bull has been dominant in recent seasons, but this year, their drivers have suffered from several mechanical problems. Verstappen’s drive shaft issue in qualifying was just one of several instances where the team’s reliability was brought into question.
Furthermore, the relationship between Verstappen and Perez has been fraught with tension since the Brazilian Grand Prix last year. The issues between the two drivers have persisted into this season, which is not ideal for a team that has been highly successful in recent times.
Verstappen’s dissatisfaction with his second-place finish is understandable, given the circumstances. However, it is worth noting that his performance was still impressive, considering the difficulties he faced during the weekend. The Dutchman’s determination to win races is commendable, and his demand for reliability improvements is justified.
Red Bull has a lot of work to do if they want to maintain their dominance in the sport. Their rivals will undoubtedly be watching closely, looking for any weaknesses they can exploit. If the team can address their reliability issues and improve the relationship between their drivers, they will be in a strong position to defend their championship title.
“Of course, I recovered to second place which is good”, said the two times World Champion, “and in general, the whole feeling in the team!”
“Everyone is happy! But I am not happy, because I am not here to finish second!”
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