Max Verstappen looks back on his first day at the Italian Grand Prix with a satisfied feeling. The Dutchman worked hard with his team to get to know his car on the track and eventually took fifth and second place. For Verstappen, however, it is clear that there is still room for improvement.
"The car felt good. We tried a few things to understand if we could do something better. Some things worked, some didn't," he states to Verstappen.com. "There are still some things we can improve. Monza is not the same as Spa, of course, but if it goes half as well here we have a good chance."
Verstappen knows the strength of Red Bull
In front of their own crowd, the pressure on Ferrari will be high this weekend. The Italian team will be using yellow accents on their cars at the Monza circuit, hoping to return to the top step of the podium after four GP victories for Verstappen.
Ferrari was satisfied with the free practice sessions. The team managed to have both cars in the top three on two occasions, setting up a strong qualifying session on Saturday afternoon and hoping to secure pole position on Sunday.
While Verstappen realises that Ferrari is doing well, the world championship leader also knows what Red Bull Racing are capable of. "They look good, but we look good during the longer runs. And of course, that's the most important thing for the race."