Max Verstappen started in first place during the sprint race of the Brazilian Grand Prix, but couldn't hold on to it. Partly due to a clever tyre strategy, Valtteri Bottas managed to overtake the Red Bull Racing driver, preventing Verstappen from gaining the maximum amount of points available to him. Helmut Marko could accept the result afterwards, he told Motorsport-magazin.com.
Red Bull's advisor saw that the German and Austrian teams had a hectic afternoon. Lewis Hamilton and Verstappen both had to answer to the stewards for an infringement with Mercedes' DRS and touching the rear wing of the opponent respectively. The conclusion was a disqualification for Hamilton and a fine for Verstappen.
During the sprint race Mercedes showed that they didn't compromise on speed. Hamilton managed to drive to fifth place, while Bottas even won. "You can live with that", stated Marko, who also saw that Mercedes had too much speed. He therefore had a clear advice for Verstappen. "Don't take any risks."
Strategy of Mercedes and Red Bull
Bottas decided with his team to drive on the softest compound, a decision that turned out to be very positive. According to Marko, this was not an option for Red Bull. "The way the tyre wear looked, it would have been difficult for us," he said.