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Verstappen Reflects on Jeddah Qualifying Challenges
Max Verstappen has expressed hesitancy about his ability to fend off McLaren’s Oscar Piastri during the upcoming race in Jeddah. The reigning world champion secured pole position by a narrow margin of just 0.010 seconds, despite McLaren appearing stronger throughout the weekend, with Piastri set to start alongside him on the front row. Meanwhile, Lando Norris of McLaren will begin the race from 10th place after an early crash during his qualifying session.
Following a disappointing performance at the previous weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix, Red Bull has adjusted its setup for the RB21 to better suit the high-speed demands of the Jeddah circuit. The smoother surface of the Saudi Arabian track has also contributed to a more favorable environment for faster lap times.
However, McLaren’s superior rear tire management during long runs has left Verstappen less optimistic about his prospects for translating his pole position into a 65th career victory.
“Honestly, I’m not feeling very confident right now,” Verstappen admitted. “My long runs have not been as strong compared to Oscar or Lando. I will put in my utmost effort, but whether that will be enough remains uncertain.
“The car has shown improvement since our initial tests on Friday, so I hope that translates into better tire performance,” he added.
Verstappen’s primary concern seems to be managing the medium compound tires effectively. He has yet to experiment with the hard tire, which Pirelli identifies as the optimal choice for the race.
“I don’t think we’ll be highly competitive, particularly on the medium tire,” he commented. “I haven’t tried the hard yet, so I’m unsure. As it gets warmer, like during FP3, that’s where we seem to struggle more. Maintaining tire stability at higher temperatures is key, and that’s a common challenge for many teams,” he explained.
Piastri, on the other hand, is optimistic about his chances for a third win this season. He believes overtaking will be less challenging than during the recent Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, where both McLaren drivers found themselves unable to pass Verstappen despite having the pace to do so.
“I feel confident about our pace. Red Bull and Max appear to be more competitive here than last week,” said Piastri. “The layouts aren’t drastically different, especially with the high-speed corners, so it’s reasonable to see them performing better. We’ll see if they can maintain that pace during the race tomorrow.
“I’m optimistic about our setup. The track has multiple DRS zones unlike Suzuka, which could play to our advantage. Let’s see how much progress we can make,” he concluded.
Ongoing Insights from the Saudi Arabian GP
As the race approaches, analysts and fans alike are keenly observing the dynamics between leading teams and their strategies for tire management as well as fuel efficiency. The Jeddah circuit, with its unique challenges, is expected to provide an exciting backdrop for what could be a pivotal race in the season.
Source
www.motorsport.com