P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The Red Bull Team Principal made a bet with Helmut Marko that Max Verstappen would not start on the front row, and the stakes were high!
Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner attributed Max Verstappen’s pole position in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to a setup change made overnight. Although Verstappen struggled during practice, finishing just a tenth off Charles Leclerc, he showed significantly improved pace in qualifying to secure pole position, beating Leclerc by 0.139s and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by 0.337s. Horner praised the mechanics for their work and expressed confidence in Verstappen’s ability to deliver. However, due to disruptions in practice, there are still uncertainties surrounding the race, particularly as there have been no long runs completed. Horner also jokingly mentioned a bet with Helmut Marko, where he won €500 by successfully predicting Verstappen’s strong qualifying performance.
