Verstappen after Austin: "Had too many problems"

The hoped-for third consecutive victory for the four-time world champion did not materialize!

Max Verstappen had to settle for third place after a rather botched race. Especially championship leader Kimi Antonelli was in a league of his own at the Austin Grand Prix.

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A Dissatisfied Verstappen

Verstappen was therefore also disillusioned. "We had too many problems in the race. The strategy wasn't good, not the right tires, that might have cost us second place."

In the final phase, the Dutchman lost his second place to Charles Leclerc, who effortlessly passed him on fresher tires. A late VSC phase even saved him a podium finish, as Lewis Hamilton was closing in quickly. "Lewis was rapidly catching up from behind," Verstappen confirmed.

Wrong Strategy

Unlike in previous races, the Red Bull crew's strategy in Austin went awry. In contrast to Antonelli, the team opted for a two-stopper, which ultimately did not pay off.

"We will have to look at this more closely, because our strategy, especially in the races before Texas, was always exemplary. For some reason, it didn't work out at the USA-GP, and we need to get to the bottom of that," said the four-time world champion.

The Direction is Right

Nevertheless, the team's development is moving in the right direction. After victories in Malaysia and Singapore, there was now a third-place finish in Austin. Overall, it is Verstappen's sixth consecutive podium finish.

Nevertheless, the 28-year-old strives for more: "The last two races were positive, of course. But there are still many things we need to learn."

Runner-up Title Still Possible

For Verstappen, the goal in the remaining five races is to create a good foundation for the upcoming year and to achieve the best possible second place in the Drivers' Championship.

Currently, the Dutchman is in fourth place in the World Championship with 221 points. Russell is only 17 points behind the Dutchman.

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