F1 driver for team Red Bull, Max Verstappen mentioned that he feared whether his Imola tyre failure scenario would repeat after he reported vibrations during the Formula 1 season finale which took place in Abu Dhabi.
However, Max Verstappen was undefeated and took home his second victory of the season for the team even as he feared tyre failure. He ended Mercedes' dominance of continuous victories in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from the year 2014. Well, 2020 is indeed a year of surprises according to us at TyrePlex!
Verstappen mentioned that he did not feel the pressured leading the pack by building up the lead right from the opening stages of the race. The safety car period also did not stop the team from falling back. It was indeed a brilliant race.
Max Verstappen crossed the finish line more than 15 seconds clear of Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas. This was a great victory for the team, he noted.
"It was an enjoyable race," Verstappen said. "We had a decent start, and from there onwards, I could manage the gap and could look after my tyres.
"The safety car came out at a little bit of an unfortunate time I think because we then had to do a very long stint of course on the hard. Luckily the tyre coped with it, but you still have to manage it a bit more.
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"The car was really good today, and just a good balance so then you can look after your tyres and I could just build a gap all the way through the race."
"I was thinking back, a little bit at Spa, but of course Imola," Verstappen said.
"I was keeping an eye on it on every straight. But luckily it was all good.
"The pace was still there, the tyres were still performing."
Max Verstappen is just nine points shy of second place in the final drivers championship standings even after bagging four podium finishes in the last five races he finished. Not a bad result according to the team. However, Verstappen admitted that he was surprised as to whether Red Bull was able to beat Mercedes in Abu Dhabi.
"I didn't expect before I got here to win the race and be on pole," Verstappen said.
"I also read that they had to turn the engines down a bit, so of course that's not helping for them.
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"In general, I think the car performed very strong, and I think better than expected, so of course very happy with that. It's a great way to finish the season, a good boost for everyone in the team.
"I just hope that we learn from the previous years that we have to be stronger in the beginning of the season to be able to give them a little bit of a harder time."
