Despite McLaren’s recent advancements, Max Verstappen believes Red Bull still has the upper hand. This weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix is set to be a prime example of this. Here’s our preview of the race, with three reasons why Verstappen is likely to emerge victorious once again.
1. One Practice, Optimal Setup
In a sprint weekend, it’s crucial for the team and driver to nail the setup during free practice. There’s only an hour to test things out, to compare real-world performance with simulator predictions, and to gauge the driver’s feel of the car and track against collected data.
Red Bull excels at this, especially when combined with Verstappen’s masterful skills. Add to this the successful adjustments made to the car’s setup between sessions this weekend, and victory seems within reach. The RB20 may not be the fastest car in the field overall, but Verstappen and his team have certainly made it the fastest for this weekend at least.
2. Confidence
Verstappen and his team are not lacking in confidence. However, McLaren’s rise has set off some alarm bells. Verstappen voiced his concerns about this last week in Spain and again in the run-up to the Austrian Grand Prix.
The pole positions in both the sprint and regular qualifications, plus the victory in the sprint race, were all well-deserved. They were the result of a dominant car and driver. In other words, Verstappen’s confidence in the car is high in Austria, perhaps even higher than in the past few weeks combined. Not to mention his self-belief, which is understandably unwavering. Confidence is the foundation of success, making it another key ingredient for a potential victory today.
Only One Challenger Remains
Red Bull has faced potential opposition from McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari in recent times, and likely will in the near future. However, in Austria, it appears that Verstappen will have little to fear from the latter two based on the long runs. The sprint race also confirmed this, as did George Russell’s (P3) words after qualifying: “Our battle on Sunday is with Ferrari, not with Norris and Verstappen.”
So, normally, only two formidable competitors remain for the Dutch driver. But not this time. How so? Well, while Verstappen has zero support from the ever-struggling Sergio Pérez at Red Bull – who will finally relieve him of his sporting suffering? – McLaren has two rivals in Norris and Piastri who could make life difficult for the Dutchman. But in Austria, it’s not so bad; during the sprint race, it was clear that Verstappen mainly has to fear Norris. When he could, Piastri from P2 did not attack the world champion’s leading position.
Because Piastri also lost his fastest time after qualifying, the Australian starts seventh. This means for Verstappen that there is only one McLaren car that could attack him at the start, for example. Another good omen for the Dutchman.
In short: only bad luck or a rare mistake can keep Verstappen from his fifth Grand Prix victory in Austria.
Additional Information
The circuit is 4318 meters long
There are 70 laps
Verstappen holds the record at the Red Bull Ring with 4 poles and 4 victories
The circuit only has ten turns: the fewest of all circuits on the calendar
