The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was rough for Max Verstappen and, although Red Bull recovered and was able to make it 1-2, he did not hide his displeasure.
Even the bonus point he got for fastest lap was no consolation for the Dutchman, who remains at the top of the drivers' standings.
“Everyone is happy in the team, that's the feeling. I'm not… I'm not here to finish second”, Verstappen said after the race.
The 25-year-old pilot delayed the trip to Jeddah for a day due to an upset stomach. Immediately afterwards, the problem in the transmission shaft made it difficult for him in qualifying on Saturday and he was unable to fight for pole position.
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His frustration was heightened because he led all three practice sessions and his victory was probably more than obvious.
"It's not just about the speed of the car, we need it not to have any kind of problem... After three positive practices, I ran into a problem in qualifying," he claimed.
"When you're fighting to be champion and it looks like it's going to involve two cars, we have to make sure that both cars are reliable," he said.
The next race will be the Australian Grand Prix on April 2, a race that Verstappen has never won and from which he has retired twice.
AP
