Verstappen assumes controlling role after breakdown: 'Just double-checking'

A breakdown like the one in Australia is something Red Bull, and of course, Max Verstappen, wants to avoid at all costs. Therefore, the team will take extra measures ahead of Sunday's race.

What has changed compared to last weekend? Verstappen's own role: "A bit more of a supervising role, maybe, to double-check some things. But, of course, also some things that you change on the car here and there is a bit of a rush job sometimes when you want to change in between FP1, FP2, or overnight," begins Verstappen. He continues: "Sometimes it can be some big things that you want to change and you run out of time because of a curfew or whatever. So just make sure that you double-check stuff, because everyone is always very pressured."

Nobody's fault

The Dutchman does want to stress that it is nobody's fault that things turned out the way they did: "You don't blame one single person. But it's always nice that there is a guy that maybe just checks after a few things, and then some more things. But it's just basically more to just double-check stuff in general." Verstappen is hoping to win again at Suzuka after retiring in Melbourne. The drop-out does make things exciting at the top again. Charles Leclerc is only a few points away from Verstappen.