Max from Suzuka: 'Not worried'

Published on 04 April 2024 by Florence Cobben

Max Verstappen went straight from Melbourne onwards to Japan, as he lets the press know from Suzuka: “It’s always nice to be in Japan. In between Grands Prix I went skiing in Japan, and before I went to Suzuka I spent a couple of days in Tokyo. So I’ve been in Japan for a while. We’re here earlier than usual this  season and I’m enjoying that.”

In Australia the Oracle Red Bull Racing driver's race ended early. He elaborates on the brake failure that led to his first unfinished race in two years: “In hindsight, there were already signs on Saturday that things were not entirely right. Now we know it was the brake caliber, but at the time everything looked like it should be. We learned from it. We’ve installed procedures to make sure that it won’t happen again, but that shouldn’t be a problem. I’m not worried about it.”

Many drivers eagerly look ahead to the challenge of the Suzuka circuit. What does Max think of the track? “Suzuka is for sure one of my favorite circuits. It can be intimidating during the first few laps that you drive here. That is how I experienced it. It didn’t help that my first meters in an F1 car were driven here, as a rookie. It’s cool to be able to drive here with a stable car that has a good balance. You can really push in the first sector, which I think is the best part of the circuit. Here you still have gravel beds, so you have to stay sharp. That, taken together, makes the track so special to me.”

After three races, you’re first in the championship, but the competition is close behind. How confident are you in your position? Max explains: “In Melbourne we were quick, but we didn’t make it to the finish. Our car is normally very good in high speed corners, so hopefully we can show that off in Suzuka.”

Contest GP Japan: win a by Max signed Verstappen.com Racing cap!