Pole and podium for Max on second FWS day at Homestead
Published on 14 February 2014 by Stefan Meens
Max Verstappen keeps up the pace during the Florida Winter Series. During the second day of the Florida Winter Series round at the Homestead Speedway, Max claimed pole position in qualifying 2 as well as taking another podium in the first race of the event.
It was a good race result as he started from fourth (time set in qualifying 1) but struggled with a technical issue throughout the race. "It was hard work to cling on to third with the issue pestering my car but I'm very happy with this podium", explains Verstappen junior.
Ferrari Driver Academy protégés Raffaele Marciello (2nd) en Antonio Fuoco (1st) are joined by Max Verstappen (3rd)
The first qualifying session proofs to be an eventful one. At the start, the drivers are forced to go out on wet tyres due to the damp track. Fairly quickly a dry line evolves and the times are tumbling significantly. Ten minutes in, the session is red flagged because of an incident involving Takashi Kasai. After qualifying 1 resumes, the track has dried up enough to go out on slicks. Max clearly feels comfortable with the improved track conditions as he is constantly among the front runners.
With five minutes remaining, another red flag halts the session after Vasily Romanov crashed into the wall. When the session gets underway for a third time, a frantic fight for pole erupts with Antonio Fuoco ending on top. Alex Bosak, Raffaelle Marciello and Max make up the front two rows.
Max: "You need a bit of luck in those hectic final stages of qualifying 1. I unfortunately wasn't able to get my lap spot on. I made a slight mistake and I suffered a lot of understeer as we carried to much wing from the rain set-up earlier in the session. So all in all, three tenths off pole and P4 isn't that bad."
As qualifying 2 gets underway, the sun is shining and the temperature has reached a pleasant 25 degrees, resulting in a track that is completely dry. Despite the excellent conditions, the drivers take their time. We do not see competitive lap times until the second half of the thirty minute session. Qualifying 2 reaches its climax in the last ten minutes with the usual suspect, including Max and Latifi, fighting for pole. In the end the Dutchman grabs the first place on the grid for Race 3, closely followed (0.091s!) by Nicholas Latifi.
Max giving it all in the wet
Max analyses his own onboard footage
In the six qualifying sessions so far in the Florida Winter Series, Max has taken three pole positions. Of course he is delighted: "We altered our level of wing on the car and the car felt so good straight away. Unfortunately my fastest lap was disqualified because I hit a cone when driving on to the main straight." However, Max' 1:23.223 was fast enough to leave all the others trailing.
A couple of hours after qualifying it is time for the first race of the Homestead event. Getting the race underway turns out to be quite an operation as several drivers stall their engine or take up the wrong grid position. After three formation laps it lights out and away.
Max has a solid start and swiftly takes third position from Alex Bosak. After the first lap, Antonio Fuoco leads, followed by European Formula 3 champion Marciello, Max and Latifi. In the initial stages of the race, the gaps between the top four drivers are fairly big. Latifi trails Max by 2.5 seconds but is closing in on the talented Dutchman. After ten laps, Latifi has closed the gap and a tense fight for the last podium place unravels.
Like a true Verstappen, Max stands his ground and holds on to third after an unsuccessful overtaking manoeuvre in lap twelve. After this failed attempt, Latifi backs off. The Canadian has no time to mount another attack, as in lap fifteen the safety car joins the circuit. Dutchman Dennis van de Laar went wide, and ended up, via the grass, into the tyre wall. Unscathed, Van de Laar sees the field finish behind the Safety Car, meaning Fuoco takes the win with Marciello and Max in second and third.
Max in his office, Formula Abarth number three
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fastest of them all?
Despite not finishing on the top spot of the podium, Verstappen junior looks back at a successful day. He explains why he lacked pace throughout the race: "Somewhere in the second lap I damaged something suspension related as I must have hit a kerbstone too hard. From that moment onwards, the car kept bottoming out on the track. When breaking, it even resulted in my right front wheel coming off the track. I lost a lot of grip and had to fight oversteer."
He continues: "In the end it was a pretty decent race because I was able to keep Latifi behind me, even though he was a lot faster. He came alongside me a few times but I managed to squeeze ahead of him. It was a hard but fair fight and I'm delighted with third.”
During the post-race press conference, Max is asked to comment on his defending. "Other drivers know I'm not easily passed. I fight for every position just like others would do."
Results day 2 (Thursday February 13) - Homestead Speedway - Florida Winter Series:
Results Qualifying 1
Results Qualifying 2
Results Race 1
Schedule Florida Winter Series Round 3, Homestead Speedway (GMT):
Friday February 14 03:30pm-04:00pm: Race 2 08:00pm-08:30pm: Race 3
Click for a direct link to the Florida Winter Series livetiming.
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