Max Verstappen delighted with his first day of testing

To test the reliability of its car, Red Bull decided to put it to the test over 168 laps. Finishing in 4th position, Max Verstappen said he is delighted, “The car is fast everywhere, which is a good thing. And the reliability seems even better, so all of this is very positive.”

The Dutchman still warns, « The first test will be in Melbourne. We are not looking at the times. We are only focusing on what we are doing, concentrating on what we can improve. For us, it’s about doing laps and trying different things. That’s what we did today. »

While he only discovered his single-seater last week during a shakedown at Silverstone, Verstappen is already very reassured. “The car works very well as does the engine, and that’s what we want to see,” he insists. “For us, it’s the most important thing. I’m really happy about that.”

Even though there is still work to be done, the driver seems more motivated than ever. « We have really improved the car in the areas we wanted. We did a lot of laps to test all the parts and see what we can improve next. I hope it will be enough. It’s always important to do a lot of laps. » he adds. « Today was a good example of how to achieve this. Of course, the number of days is limited but it’s the same for everyone. »

Only the two spinouts that occurred during the day could have unsettled the driver. However, he seems relaxed and confident with his car. « I think I touched the gravel once, that’s why I spun out. And another time I lost the car in the second corner. This kind of thing can happen when trying to find the limits with the car. Fortunately, there was no damage and that’s the most important thing. »

The team will continue its program tomorrow with Alex Albon, who is expected to take the wheel for what promises to be a busy day.