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Max Verstappen is not too worried about the prospects of a challenge from Charles Leclerc's Ferrari this weekend. The Italian team had a strong FP2, while the Red Bull driver did not have the best of days. FP1 saw Verstappen damage his floor, whose repairs took 20 more minutes.
As a result, Verstappen did not have a smooth day of running, while Ferrari's Leclerc not only looked brilliant over a lap but over the long runs as well. Verstappen, on his part, was unable to do a proper long run. Thus, a clear picture could not be painted of how it would compare with the rest of the field.
Max Verstappen has dominated the 2024 F1 season up until now by winning both races and securing both pole positions as well. When questioned about how the day went, and whether the team looked at Ferrari as a threat, Verstappen brushed aside these suggestions and told Sky Sports:
"Unfortunately a little bit messy because of what happened in FP1. I went wide, damaged the floor and also the chassis. It took a little bit longer to fix that unfortunately so I lost about 20 minutes. I do think the turnaround was very quick, what we did as a team, so I more or less completed the programme still."
He added:
"Long run I would have liked maybe a few more laps but with missing 20 minutes, that’s how it goes. I think it was alright. I think Ferrari is quick but I think from our side, there are also a few more things that we can fine tune. So nothing crazy, nothing worrying, I think we just need to fine tune a little bit the car."
Max Verstappen is on the verge of equalling his record
Max Verstappen is on the verge of equalling his record for most consecutive wins in F1 if he triumphs this weekend. The Red Bull driver is on a nine-race winning streak and has been brilliant when it comes to mixing pace with consistency.
He established the record last season when he won 10 races in a row, only to be thwarted by a setup issue with Red Bull in Singapore. Since then, he's continued to dominate the sport, going on a run of nine consecutive wins.
It will be very interesting to see if Charles Leclerc can challenge Max Verstappen at the F1 Australian GP because that would certainly make the championship very interesting.
