Max after the win in Spielberg: 'Worked well the entire weekend'

Published on 30 June 2019 by Mike Motilall

Max Verstappen took the chequered flag for the Austrian Grand Prix. On Red Bull’s home soil, the Dutchman fought his way back after a poor start and overtook, right before the end, Charles Leclerc for the lead of the race. Max didn’t let the lead slip out of his hands and took home his sixth Formula 1-career win.

Max reviews the race in Spielberg with the press: “At the start I had a anti-stall. I guess we set the clutch too aggressively. We stayed out quite long despite a flatspot I had during my first lap. After we came out again after the pit stop, we had great pace. Initially we were looking after the tyres till they settled in then one by one we were overtaking the cars ahead. The car really came alive.”

When the Dutchman realise that he could win the race? “That’s difficult to say, but when I got pass Valtteri, with the pace we had I could just as well have a go at it. In the end you never know, so we just kept pushing. I was extremely happy that we did it with just a few more laps to go.” The weekend in Austria is according to Max a great success: “The whole weekend we have been working really well. The upgrades we brought, they worked well, so a big thank you to Red Bull Racing. Also to Honda. It’s not been easy for them in the past, but today it’s been incredible. I am very happy for them.”

The first win for Honda in the V6-era shows that the project is working: “I think that it is important for us and Honda, also for the future. I am just happy that it happened today. It just gives a lot of confidence to the boys and takes away some doubts. At this moment it is just an amazing team.”

For a moment an issue with the engine power seem to spell disaster, but this was just a small thing: “When I got close to Valtteri, I suddenly lost power. Luckily after doing some changes on the steering wheel everything was fine again.” The Dutchman briefly explains what happened when he overtook Charles Leclerc. During overtaking they made contact: “We had a little contact coming out of the corner, but that is racing. It’s hard racing but it’s better that than following each other and have a boring race.”

The Red Bull Ring was also witness to a lot of Dutch fans again this weekend. Max enjoys it: “I could see them clapping and cheering me on. Especially on the in-lap I could see everybody going wild. It just gives me a lot of positive energy going in to a Sunday like this. Of course after the start I was disappointed, but we never gave up. To be able to come like this is amazing.”