Max bounces back with P2 on Wednesday morning

Published on 09 April 2014 by Stefan Meens

During the morning session of the second day of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship pre-season test at the Red Bull Ring, Max Verstappen set an excellent second fastest time. The drivers faced different conditions compared to the previous day as dark clouds lurked on the horizon while the track was still damp from overnight rain. Regardless, Max was keen to get out and gain valuable track time after missing most of Tuesday’s afternoon session. He would ultimately lap the Austrian track 68 times in the morning, more than any other driver would.

As Max hits the track, it is obvious that the mechanical issues, that pestered the Dutchman the previous day, are gone. After only a small number of laps, he already banks a 1:24.833, a time that gives him the provisional top spot.
Max: “This morning there were a few rain drops at the back of the circuit so the car was sliding a lot more resulting in slower lap times compared to Tuesday. We waited till the track was completely dry and thus had more grip. After that, my pace was good.”

Meanwhile, Tom Blomqvist and Antonio Giovinazzi initially beat the Dutchman’s time. However, Max strikes back with a 1:24.3, but the British and Italian duo keep upping their game and. In the end, Blomqvist finishes the session in P1. Max trails him by 0.09s, beating Giovinazzi along the way to clinch second.

“We spend a lot of the morning session working on the set-up of the car, in particular the rear. This meant that during my run on new tyres, the car felt really good, even better than Tuesday morning. The excellent performance is also a compliment for the team as the collaboration with the Van Amersfoort Racing team is going really well, it’s just awesome”, explains a delighted Max.

Results FIA Formula 3 European Championship pre-season test – Day 2, Wednesday April 9, Red Bull Ring: 
Results morning session