Tim Kraaij is Editor-in-Chief of GPblog.com and a Formula 1 analyst. With permanent FIA accreditation and direct access to the paddock, he delivers in-depth, data-driven analysis and insight into key developments within the sport.
During the first free practice session, Max Verstappen reported some issues with his Red Bull Racing car. He had a problem with his steering wheel, and the Dutchman explained this over the team radio. Verstappen can win the World Championship during the Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend.
"Mate the f***ing wheel. This...There's this connection issue. The radio went on by itself," Verstappen informed Gianpiero Lambiase during the FP1 session. Max Verstappen's race engineer revealed that he understood the problem, but it could not be solved immediately.
Verstappen has problems with his steering wheel
This also became clear at the end of the session when Verstappen reported the problem again over the team radio: "The steering wheel sometimes randomly disconnects," Verstappen calmly stated.
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Red Bull Racing will work to fix that problem between the first and second free practice sessions. The car's balance was also not yet as Verstappen wanted it to be. The Dutchman complained of a lack of grip and will not be satisfied with his fastest time either. Verstappen finished fifth, more than a second behind fastest driver Lewis Hamilton.
This article has been created in collaboration with Matt Gretton
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