Windsor impressed: 'Verstappen couldn't play with that this time'

Peter Windsor is impressed with both Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz after the Canadian Grand Prix. One managed to defend flawlessly, while the other kept up flawlessly during the last fifteen laps. The Brit saw an unusual difference in top speed between the two drivers.

Sainz and Verstappen fifteen laps clear

F1 expert Windsor says the battle for victory in Canada actually came down to the final fifteen-lap stint, with Verstappen and Carlos Sainz competing against each other on the same compound tire with only a six-lap difference in the "age" of that tire. Verstappen entering the pit lane just a little earlier than the Spaniard therefore had an almost objectionable disadvantage, but on the restart after the safety car Verstappen did not drive away.

Windsor explains in a YouTube video: "Ferrari didn't have a big, but significant advantage over Red Bull in terms of top speed. They also had a 'grip advantage' for Sainz because his tires were six laps newer." The Drivers were very evenly matched and Verstappen went to great lengths to defend his P1. Windsor saw Verstappen take a lot of risk at the final chicane.

Ferrari has unusual advantage

Windsor "It was a very good win by Max; on a day, as I just said, when he had no advantage in top speed. Very unusual. It's the first time this year that we see that he couldn't play with that advantage in top speed. Ferrari had that this time." On Sainz, the Briton has little else to say. He does wonder why the team did not opt for the medium tire for the final stint.

Sainz came out for the last relatively short stint on the hard tire. Although Sainz only had used medium tires available, Windsor thinks that with this 'scrubbed' medium tire the Spaniard could have still prepared a slightly more aggressive attack on Verstappen. "With the yellow tire, he would have finished second as well, so why didn't they look at using a little more grip to put the pressure on Verstappen."