Max three times 2nd in Supercars Eseries: 'Two one-two for Red Bull is good'
Published on 15 April 2020 by Mike Motilall
Max Verstappen, on behalf of Red Bull, took part in the second round of the Supercars All Stars Eseries. With a wildcard and in a Holden Commodore he competed in the Australian V8 Supercars. In total four virtual races were driven, two on Silverstone and two on Barcelona of which Max came in second fastest three times. Shane van Gisbergen took the victory of this round of the online championship home as he won two races in this series.
“To be able to team up with Shane (van Gisbergen) and Jamy (Whincup) for the Red Bull Holden Racing Team was a lot of fun”, says Max. “Three times second is not a bad result and twice a one-two for Red Bull, that’s good.” In the last race Max was unlucky as he and Anton de Paquale touched. “That was unfortunate. It’s because my internet ‘ping’ is a bit high being in Europe. For me he looked being ahead of me and we touched, which was a shame.” Max really had a good time: “It was a lot of fun and I definitely really enjoyed it.”
Before the virtual races get underway, Max says: “The V8 Supercars look brutal and I have always wanted to try them. At this moment, the best way possible is virtual, so I am very happy to drive this championship. Silverstone and Barcelona are both technical circuits, like some combinations of corners you really have to setup the car well. Even more in a V8 Supercar. I am still getting used to it, I am definitely not the best in this car. I am still searching for grip, locking up wheels and having wheel spin out of the corners. For my feeling I am still struggling with it, but it’s fun and really cool. Luckily it’s at tracks that I know.”
Max qualified sixth fastest for the first race on Silverstone, he has a good start and immediately gains a position. Half a lap later, he manages to take another spot. When the two drivers ahead of him start having it out with each other, he is able to benefit from that and moves up to the second spot. Anton de Pasquale who started from pole and obviously took the lead, didn’t give that up. After five laps, Max is put under pressure by Shane van Gisbergen, but when the flag drops after the seven lap lasting race, the Aston Martin Red Bull Racing-driver crosses the line in second.
The second race, on Silverstone, is in reverse order, which means that Max will start the race at the back of the field. Right away on the straights he is forced to dodge spinning cars and suffers damage on the right side of his car. After being hit once more, Max has sustained more damage, he loses a lot of time and is nineteenth. On the second lap, Max goes in to take his mandatory pit stop in this race. From P20 Max moves up to P18. The same spot he takes the chequered flag in after nine laps. Cameron Waters wins the race ahead of Jake Kostecki and De Pasquale, who quite decently moved up to third fastest coming all the way back from the last spot.
The third race is on Barcelona, where Max qualified sixth fastest. Once again the Dutchman has a good start. They take the first corner, three abreast, with Max in the middle. Max comes out on top and is second. Van Gisbergen is in the lead but Max is trailing him quite decently. After eight laps, the New-Zealander is the first to cross the line, ahead of Max, after a flawless race.
The first and final race is, once more, on the Spanish track, where Max has now qualified fifth fastest. He immediately makes little work of the two ahead of him and after a small brush on De Pasquale's rear bumper, he is in second place. Behind of him a snowball effect causes a multitude of crashes. Van Gisbergen takes the lead, ahead of Max and Scott McLaughlin. Max does his mandatory stop on lap four which drops him back to fifth. Van Gisbergen stops three laps later and rejoins right behind of Max. The Dutchman, with an undercut, has thus taken over the lead. However, Van Gisbergen puts Max under pressure and on lap nine he overtakes the Dutchman. Van Gisbergen wins and Max comes in, for the third time, second fastest.
