Verstappen sees encouraging signs after FP2 but refuses to get carried away

Ahead of the weekend, it was expected that Mercedes had made a big step with their new upgrades. Verstappen had set himself the goal of winning another race this year, but he was realistic about Mercedes’ upgrades. It was clear that Mercedes still had to learn about the outcomes of those upgrades. Verstappen, on the other hand, enjoyed an encouraging Friday and was pleased with how it went. Still, the Dutchman had a few questions afterwards.

Asked whether this weekend could prove as successful as the last time Sepang hosted a Grand Prix in 2017, the Dutchman replied: "It's a long time ago, so there are no guarantees, but at least we had a positive start to the weekend."

During the second free practice, Verstappen was heard on the radio several times as he once again raised concerns about his seating position in the car. The Dutchman explained that he was struggling to find a consistent and comfortable position behind the wheel, highlighting an issue that appeared to affect his confidence in the RB22.

Pressed specifically on the issue, the Dutchman explained: "It's just sometimes the position feels a little bit off, so then we double check it."