Verstappen jokes with the press: “It would be a huge advantage for us if the Mercedes’ collide again”
- Bo Helmus
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
Written by Bo Helmus
10 years ago in Barcelona, Max Verstappen wrote history by becoming the first Dutch driver to win a grand prix the first time he drove the Red Bull. What are his chances to repeat that outing with the same team on the same track a decade later?
This is the last year that the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is on the calendar, but a win for Verstappen doesn’t seem likely. Red Bull have encountered all kinds of issues this season, not in the least a power unit problem that failed to fire up last race.
Problems in practice
In the practice sessions, things didn’t look much better for the Dutchman. He set the fourth fastest time in FP1, but it is important to note that the big teams all had a junior driver in one of the cars.
Kimi Antonelli, Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris didn’t even participate in the session. Verstappen was only 2 tenths faster than Leonardo Fornaroli in the second McLaren. In FP2, Verstappen set the sixth time. He was almost nine tenths slower than the fastest time of Norris.
A repetition of 10 years ago
Even though the statistics aren’t looking good for the 28-year-old, there’s another stat that he might like more. Just like 10 years ago, Mercedes is dominating the grid. The other teams are left in the dust. Verstappen isn’t anywhere near the top in the drivers’ standings. The circumstances are almost the same as a decade ago. Does that provide some hope?
The Dutchman talks to a Bulgarian F1 reporter in the media pen. The reporter mentions that 10 years ago, he predicted on live tv that something interesting would happen if the two Mercedes collided. We all know the outcome of the race, the reporter was right.
Verstappen jokingly answered: “If you say that again this year, maybe it’ll happen again. I wouldn’t say no to a scenario like that.” The Red Bull driver later continued: “Of course I don’t wish Russell and Antonelli any harm. It would be wrong to say that. But it would be a huge advantage for us.”
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