Verstappen: "I don't think that made the difference at the start"

Max Verstappen won the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix last week in glorious fashion. He owes that victory to an excellent start, something that was his achilles heel last season. He didn't really do anything different this time though.

Hamilton also used second gear

The reason Verstappen and Red Bull Racing have struggled in previous seasons is down to the details. The clutch adjustment and the way the Honda engine delivers its power are crucial. As a driver, you have relatively little influence on this during the start. Also, Verstappen's choice to start in second gear was not the deciding factor in his good start.

"That's what a lot of drivers do when it's wet. The engine delivers a lot of torque and in second gear you have less wheelspin. Lewis did the same, just like we have done for the last few years on a wet track. I don't think that made the difference at the start," Verstappen said on his own website.

The perfect start is therefore still a product of meticulous preparation, good reaction speed and a dose of luck. Verstappen knows better than anyone how much this can cost him, as it has also cost him a lot in the past. "I'm glad we had such a good start though, because for me that was decisive for the race," said the Dutchman.