Max Verstappen reflects on Dutch GP: “Podium is good, but battling the Racing Bulls shows we need more speed”. Max Verstappen finished second at his home Grand Prix in Zandvoort.

Max Verstappen: “Happy with the podium, but we struggled with the Racing Bulls. It’s not good”

The Dutch champion finished second at his home Grand Prix after an impressive performance that nonetheless left him wanting more.

Max at his maximum

There was little more Max Verstappen could do over the Zandvoort weekend. A sharp lap in Q3 secured him third on the starting grid, and an excellent start propelled him into second place early in the race. The four-time world champion then had to concede to McLaren’s dominant pace, being overtaken by Lando Norris, who later retired, allowing Verstappen to reclaim the runner-up spot in the final stages of the Grand Prix.

Good, but not great

Finishing second under the chequered flag was not entirely satisfying for Max Verstappen. Speaking to Viaplay, he explained: “Of course I’m happy to be on the podium, but in terms of speed it wasn’t good. Third place was purely thanks to qualifying. The McLarens are on a different level, so I don’t even count them, but we struggled with the Racing Bulls, our junior team, for the entire race. That’s not right and it’s not acceptable. The car simply isn’t fast enough.”

Max Verstappen continued: “We chose a different tyre strategy because the Hard tyres gave me negative feedback. I had absolutely no grip, zero. Everyone else can use them except us, which confirms that something is wrong. I used Mediums and Softs because they gave me grip in the slower corners.”