Max: “Very disappointing dropping out so often in good positions”
Published on 27 August 2017 by Mike Motilall
Three hours after dropping out in the Belgian Grand Prix, the huge disappointment is still clearly visible on Max’ face. “Of course I always try to stay positive, but that is very difficult when things like these keep happening. Today also didn’t help”, says Max, referring to the problems with the power unit. They have been a plague to him all season long.
Max dropped out in Belgium, the sixth time in twelve races now. By now, the engine supplier Renault has apologized to the Dutchman. “But I have been hearing that all year long now and it’s not helping me a bit. It serves no purpose continuing on like this.”
“Fans come specially to Spa-Francorchamps and buy expensive tickets. Then they see me do only eight laps, that’s of course very hard to take”, as Max continues. He was able to count on the support of tens of thousands of fans at his home race. “I am very angry with the whole situation: we are just too slow, so you get yourself psyched up to go for it and try to score some points. But that doesn’t happen in this way either. It is very disappointing, that it’s being going this way all year long and me dropping out so often, actually always in good positions.”
It makes you stronger, some say…. “You can keep saying that, but at a certain point that stops. I don’t need this to make me stronger, you saw that Saturday during qualifying.” What is the problem, what is the solution? “Well, if we knew what the problem was, it wouldn’t happen again. For a top team like this, something like this should absolutely not be happening. If we knew what the issue was we could fix it. But every time it’s something different.”
Max continues on, resolutely he says: “It’s very frustrating that the problems only affect me, but I am not saying there is more to that.” On the final question how he is going to deal with this disappointment, Max says: “I usually don’t talk too much. Tonight I am just going to do my own thing.”
