Canada Grand Prix 2022: Max Verstappen resists constant pressure from Carlos Sainz – tribute from Helmut Marko

“It was a tough race,” Verstappen said after the race. “I was expecting to be faster but it looks like we lost something compared to Carlos,” Verstappen said after the race. He was able to pull back after the start, but after his second stop he found himself behind Sainz, who only wanted the pit once.

“I wasn’t sure if I could completely bridge the gap,” Verstappen admits, but Yuki Tsunoda’s safety car completely changed the situation once again. Sainz traveled to the pits and was right behind Verstappen when he restarted on lap 55 – with six laps of solid tire.

In the next 16 laps to the finish, an exciting duel developed for victory. But Verstappen had Sainz permanently in the DRS window and was worried about whether he would be able to defend himself the whole time.

Because Ferrari looked faster in the race and had the advantage of more modern tyres.

Marco praises Sainz: ‘Done with skill’

Helmut Marko, advisor to Red Bull Motorsport, analyzed the match against Sky: “We had the oldest tires from the first set, and in the second sector, the Ferrari was very fast and that’s why Max didn’t come out of the DRS window.” “he is (Sainz. He pointed out. editorHe did it very cleverly, charged the battery and then came to full capacity.”

On the long linebacker in a row, Sainz Verstappen was very close, but Verstappen did not give his opponent any chance. “Of course you have to make sure you have a good corner exit where the DRS is,” Verstappen explains.

“But it was simply about going to the extreme and not making any mistakes in general,” the Dutchman said. “I knew that even if I made a small mistake in the first sector, Carlos would gain a tenth of a second and that might be enough to get close in the first DRS and then in the second.”

But Verstappen made no mistake, instead, Sainz overdid it from time to time: “Thank God, Sainz had a slight brake twice on a sharp turn. That made life a little easier for us,” says Marko in “ORF,” But these races get to the core.”

Red Bull with some problems

Because in Red Bull you would sweat a lot at times. On occasion, Verstappen’s radio failed, and after the loss of Sergio Perez, there were concerns about the RB18’s reliability.

“You’re not feeling well, but we’ve been keeping a close eye on the temperatures,” Marco says. Instead, there was concern about the brakes, which were pushed to the limit in Canada – and that was in the early stages of the race. But no matter how, it was enough for Verstappen, who enjoyed the fencing a lot: “It was a good race. It’s always more fun when you can really push a Formula 1 car instead of just saving the tyres,” he laughs.

On the other hand, Carlos Sainz was again denied his first victory in Formula 1. The Spaniard knew that he would have at least small advantages on his side. “But two or three tenths is not enough to overtake Red Bull. You need a delta of five or six tenths if you want a chance to overtake Max,” he says.

Therefore, the Ferrari driver risked everything and drove hard over the barriers and close to the wall several times. “There were a few poetic moments in the polluted air,” he says. “It came close to me a few times, but it wasn’t enough to launch an attack anywhere on the inner lane.” “But I can tell you I paid.”

Sainz: “It gives me confidence”

So the Ferrari driver is still waiting for his first victory in Formula 1, but today’s race gave him courage: “Compared to Red Bull, we were faster today,” he claims. “For the first time this season, I can say that I was the fastest on the track. It gives me confidence in the next races.”

Max Verstappen could have that too after his sixth win in his ninth race of the season. He has once again proven to his team why he is the world champion and leads the world championship by shooting and delivering under pressure. “It’s something I don’t think many pilots can do today,” Marco praises.