After setting the fastest time in the Formula 1 qualifying session at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, Max Verstappen achieved a victory in Singapore that, however, does not matter to him as much as it may seem. Once again, the Red Bull Racing driver made it clear that his attention is completely focused on Sunday’s race.
This triumph in the sprint is of little significance for Verstappen, who expressed that it does not generate any emotion for him. ‘I want to win tomorrow,’ he said. ‘I don’t see this as a victory in terms of winning a grand prix.’
Although the win in Singapore might seem important due to Red Bull’s past difficulties at the street circuit, Verstappen remains firm in his perspective. ‘My emotion is the same,’ he added, underscoring that his focus is on the weekend competition.
One of the main concerns for Verstappen is the race start. In previous competitions, like Malaysia, he was overtaken by both Mercedes vehicles, and the same happened in Singapore, where George Russell passed him. Verstappen acknowledged that the start was ‘horrible’. ‘If we have a start like that again tomorrow, the race will be over unless something unexpected happens,’ he added.
As he explained, at the start his car does not accelerate with the necessary force. ‘It just doesn’t start,’ he stated, highlighting that every time they face these problems, they need to improve. ‘We have some limitations we need to work on, and that probably comes from our side as well,’ he commented.
Despite this, on Saturday, the bad start did not affect his results, as he saw Russell retire due to an accident. Verstappen commented that the British driver was pushing too hard in the first lap, which caused him to end up against the wall.
On a challenging circuit like Singapore, where overtaking is difficult, Verstappen opted for a strategy of patience and concentration. ‘It was important to stay alert to avoid mistakes, especially on a track with tricky conditions,’ he noted. Knowing that there is only one racing line, the driver managed his actions to approach the key moment that truly matters: the competition on Sunday.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
