Verstappen follows Mercedes underdog talk: 'Driving in front is never easy'

Looking ahead to his hundredth Grand Prix start with Red Bull Racing this weekend, Max Verstappen argues that the Barcelona circuit will finally give a clear picture of the Red Bull's competitiveness against the rest of the grid, and Mercedes in particular.

Speaking to the Italian branch of Motorsport Verstappen gives his take on the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix, and the relevance of this particular race to the title battle that will still rage throughout the season: "We will see this weekend, but I'm happy to be back on a track that has normal grip."

"We know this circuit as well as all the other teams, so it will be interesting to see how competitive we are", the Dutchman continued.

Asked for his views on the strengths of the RB16B relative to Mercedes', Verstappen says he is positive."The car continues to be developed to stay on top, even though performance can often depend on the condition of the track, but also on the wind because these cars are super sensitive." The conclusion? Verstappen has that too: "Driving at the front is never easy."