Max Verstappen finished the Formula 1 Dutch GP Sprint race in sixth place but left the race with some hope, as Red Bull Racing will make further changes to the RB22 before the qualifying session for the GP, using the data collected in the short race.
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The Dutch driver had already explained that the team could not change the car before the Sprint race and that the race would serve as a reference to try to improve the setup. Even without gaining or losing positions, he kept the plan to seek improvements for the rest of the weekend.
“We wanted to make some changes anyway, and after this race, that will remain the same. The thought process is the same. We’ll see if we can improve a bit,” Verstappen said after the race.
The grip and balance issues pointed out on Friday have not completely disappeared yet: “We definitely lack a bit of pure pace, but at least the tire wear wasn’t that bad in the race,” the driver continued, indicating that performance in fast laps remains the main limitation.
Read more F1: Bortoleto sees good Sprint with good pace at the Dutch GP: «Steps in the right direction»
Despite this, the Sprint race was less negative than the long stints had suggested. Verstappen was stuck behind Oscar Piastri of McLaren and noted that the proximity caused the tires to overheat, preventing an overtaking attempt, but he noticed a more competitive behavior throughout the race.
The numbers reinforced this impression. Over the 24 laps, Verstappen had an average pace of 1min16s293 and showed medium tire degradation about three tenths less than Piastri’s. Although Ferrari showed the best average pace, the data indicated that Red Bull was stronger in race pace than it had demonstrated in a fast lap.
With parc fermé reopened before the qualifying session, Verstappen and the team now bet on changes to the RB22 to try to reduce the remaining gap and turn the positive sign from the Sprint into a better result in Sunday’s GP.
Read more F1: Bortoleto is ninth and just misses out on points in the Sprint race of the Dutch GP
