A filmmaker with a soft spot for Ronnie Peterson, Gilles Villeneuve, Mika Hakkinen and above all, Tazio Nuvolari and Ayrton Senna, is also a diehard Formula One fan since the age of 4 (mid-90's). An avid researcher of the past of Grand Prix Racing since before it was even named F1, and with a thirst for knowledge of the ins and outs of the actuality of the sport, as well as for the technical aspects that define it, is a member of GPblog since 2023, where he has put his love of racing to good use.
Max Verstappen got the 5th fastest time during qualifying in Yas Marina. Ahead of the race tomorrow, the Dutchman has stated what he expects to be his target for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix tomorrow.
Verstappen sets crosshairs on Ferrari
Last week in Qatar, Verstappen managed to secure pole position and win the race. But in Abu Dhabi, he thinks McLaren, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, will be out of reach. "I still think McLaren is too fast," Verstappen said to media present in the paddock after the session. "I hope I can maybe race with Ferrari, Carlos Sainz especially and with Charles Leclerc starting at the back. And of course there is a spirited battle next to me for P6. Let's see how that goes on lap one around me," the 2024 World Champion added. The main surprise during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Qualifying was Nico Hulkenberg, qualifying himself in front of Verstappen, however, he was handed a three place grid penalty by the Stewards, which drops the German driver to P7 for tomorrow's race.
With such a landscape, Verstappen has set his sights on Ferrari, while at the same time keeping his expectations tempered. "In the end, you also need a good balance. Hopefully we have that. But to really compete with McLaren, seems pretty unlikely to me. They have been all weekend and are so comfortably fast with both drivers. This time it's not like Qatar, where we held on for a lap and the race there was still very fast, but we certainly got a point. This time I think we are all a bit further behind," concluded Verstappen.
If the circumstances play in his favor and McLaren drop the ball, then Verstappen could be vying for an unlikely fifth consecutive win in Abu Dhabi.
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