Windsor predicts Red Bull advantage at Portimao: 'Verstappen has the car stable'

In his usual analysis of the free practice sessions, Formula 1 expert Peter Windsor gives his view on the current balance of power between Red Bull and Mercedes at Portimao. His verdict: Red Bull and Max Verstappen could well be the winners at the Portuguese circuit.

"You saw a big difference today between the Mercedes and the Red Bull today. At Mercedes, the back end was moving around a lot. Max had the car much more stable", Windsor begins in his analysis on Youtube. "It’s gonna be interesting, on a circuit like Portimao with its beautiful elevation changes and blind approaches to some corners."

Windsor's justification for choosing Red Bull as favourite in Portugal is twofold. Firstly, the downforce advantage that Red Bull has managed to secure this season will also have an impact at Portimao. Windsor: "When you’ve got a downforce advantage, which Red Bull appears still to have, that’s gonna help you even more. Max is able to get the car loaded with all these different dynamics going on a little bit earlier than Lewis."

A matter of patience

In addition, Windsor sees an advantage in Verstappen's relatively early braking, a fact often held against him. "Max breaks earlier than Valtteri Bottas, earlier than Carlos Sainz, earlier than Lewis Hamilton", he said.

"He doesn’t brake as late as his peers, and that’s to his credit I think. When you are an earlier braker it also instils certain patience in your driving, allowing more time for everything. He was just waiting for the car to settle before squeezing out a lap beautifully", Windsor said.