P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Red Bull boss Christian Horner has revealed that Safety Car concerns triggered the decision to ignore Max Verstappen’s plea to pit in Formula 1’s Austrian Grand Prix. Verstappen looked in cruise control at the Red Bull Ring as he retained a nine-second advantage over McLaren’s Lando Norris in second place during the second stint. However, […]
Max Verstappen appeared to be comfortably leading at the Red Bull Ring, maintaining a significant advantage over Lando Norris in second place despite grip issues and traffic challenges. Verstappen’s call for an early pit stop to maintain his lead was overruled by the team to optimize his position. However, a mistake during the pit stop, which cost precious seconds, allowed Norris to close in on Verstappen and ultimately led to a collision on Lap 64. Red Bull’s team principal Christian Horner believes that had the pit stop error not occurred, Verstappen could have defended against Norris with his better tire strategy in the final stint. Verstappen, frustrated by the team’s mistakes, criticized the overall execution as “disastrous”. Horner disclosed that Red Bull initially planned for a different tire strategy but adjusted to guard against a potential Safety Car period, acknowledging that hindsight is always clearer in such situations. Despite the setbacks, Red Bull showcased strong pace throughout the weekend, securing poles and strengthening their positions in both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships.
