Max previews the USA Grand Prix: 'Will be another close battle'

Published on 20 October 2021 by Niels Hendrix

Talking to Max Verstappen, who finished third the last race in the United States in 2019, we asked him if he is looking forward to being back on track in Austin. “It is going to be nice to be back in America”, says Max. “We have always been competitive in the US and have got close to some good results, so it's about converting that into a win now. We go to every track now knowing that we can fight at least for a podium now, but also a win and that is different to past years. We are focused on doing the best we can and always trying to win the race and that will be no different in Austin. It will be another close battle this weekend and I am looking forward to that.”

The Turkish Grand Prix was a strong result for Red Bull Racing, with a double podium. Which team do you think the momentum is with going into the weekend? Max: “I don't really believe in momentum swings, we always have to nail every aspect of the weekend to optimize our performance, prepare as best we can and if we do that then we can't give anything more as a team. We have a very competitive car but you have to compare it to Mercedes and that is always the big question mark going into any race this season. Hopefully we can fight them this weekend and keep the lead in the championship. Every single week there are new challenges, which we must overcome and this one will be no different. A lot of things can happen in a race, so we will focus on ourselves and no one else.”

What makes Circuit of the Americas such a great racetrack? Max replies: “The layout of the track at COTA is really cool, the surface being bumpy, because it is built on a swamp, adds to the excitement of the race as well. The first sector is very enjoyable, with a lot of fast corners, especially in qualifying when you go on low fuel. When you are racing going into sector two and the beginning of sector three, there are a lot of different lines you can take, so this track normally creates a lot of action and overtakes. Then away from being a great track, there is always a great atmosphere and a great crowd so that helps.”