Productive day at the Lausitzring

Published on 21 October 2014 by Stefan Meens

On Tuesday, Max Verstappen completed a test session in his Van Amersfoort Racing Dallara F314 at the Lausitzring. In chilly, but dry conditions, the rapid Dutchman completed over 80 laps on the German track. The goal of the test was to prepare the team and the Red Bull Junior for the Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix in November.

“On the Macau street course a completely different set-up is required. We'll be running a lot less wing which means a lot less downforce. In addition we'll be driving on Yokohama tyres instead of the Hankooks used in the European championship. So the set-up of the car changes dramatically”, explains Max.

In May, earlier this year, Max already tamed the 2.1 mile Lausitzring in a test. Furthermore, the 17-year-old is no stranger to the Yokohama tyres. “During my very first F3 test in December 2013 at Valancia, I drove on Yokohama as well. The tyres are a lot softer than the Hankooks which means they wear off quicker. You don’t really need to alter your driving style over a single lap, but you have to adapt for longer runs and the race.”

Apart from the roaring of the 2.0l Volkswagen engine, it remained fairly quiet at the German track as Max was the only driver present. It meant the Red Bull Junior was able to put in his lap without distractions. “Lap times don’t really matter on days like today. Normally you would use a completely different set-up with a lot more wing for this circuit. But we specifically tried to gain experience and knowledge in preparation for Macau”, concludes Max.

Depending on the weather conditions, Max and Van Amersfoort Racing will continue testing at the Lausitzring. Keep an eye on the Verstappen Info Page for more info.