Is Albon too far behind Verstappen? 'On this circuit it's a big gap'
F1 News
- GPblog.com
Where Red Bull Racing often chooses the alternative strategy, this weekend it is Mercedes who chose to send out both cars on the medium tyre in Q2. Max Verstappen also seemed to go for that tyre to start, but in the end he went for the softest red tyre. According to Peter Windsor this choice is striking.
"They are the two Mercedes drivers on the front row of the grid, followed by Max Verstappen in P3. He finally had to go out on the softest tyre in Q2 for a fast time," Windsor explains on his Youtube channel. The F1 journalist recognises that Red Bull has tried the alternative strategy.
Albon disappoints
"He first drove the mediums, together with Renault and Ferrari. For the second session, everyone went to the softest tyre, apart from the two Mercedes drivers. Max put his time on the softest tyre and that will be interesting for the race." The speed of Verstappen in Q2 on the medium was just not fast enough and therefore Verstappen will attack Mercedes with the softer tyres.
Windsor does expect Red Bull to have a chance. "It looks like Red Bull will be able to drive on the tyres for a very long time. There is less degradation on the tyres, because it is of course a shorter track." Windsor also had something to say about the team mate of Verstappen, Alexander Albon. "Alex did not manage to get through to Q3, in a car where Verstappen manages to drive to third place. Four tenths on this circuit is just a big gap. Alex Albon really doesn't look good this weekend," said Windsor.