Max Verstappen appeared to disbelieve any notion that he might need gained the System 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix had he began greater up the grid.
The Dutchman began the race on the Baku Metropolis Circuit eighth, and was rapidly as much as third after scything previous Pierre Gasly, Lewis Hamilton Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc.
Amid his chase of Oscar Piastri, Verstappen struggled to keep up tempo to problem, and in flip, held up teammate Isack Hadjar behind him.
However a double Security Automotive interval ensured his alternative to problem chief George Russell, however completed the race second, just below two tenths from Russell on the line.
Requested if he felt he may have challenged Russell considerably had he certified greater, Verstappen advised media “we should always have carried out that,” however conceded Russell’s race tempo would have been exhausting to beat regardless.
“You realize, you’ve got an issue and that implies that it’s a must to begin P8. However I believe even when I began second, I believe the tempo of George, it will have been very exhausting to cross,” he mentioned.
“So perhaps I may have adopted him a bit higher, after all, then in that first stint.”
“You then field your second behind after which in all probability we might have carried out the identical race, simply pushing one another alongside. It will have for positive made my first stint a bit simpler as a substitute of overtaking all of the vehicles that I needed to.
Russell downside made Baku end look nearer – Max Verstappen
Verstappen revealed that the primary Security Automotive interval, triggered by an Alex Albon shunt, “got here on the proper time,” having struggled massively on his beginning set of Mediums, which triggered the backing up of Hadjar behind.
“After which the Security Automotive truly got here on the proper time to swap to the Delicate tyres,” he mentioned. “After which I’ve to say that, yeah, these final laps had been very gratifying as a result of there was barely any deg actually. We had been simply pushing to the top and the hole was all the time like one second, 1.1. So yeah, that was good.”
Verstappen started the ultimate lap over a second off Russell, however closed up within the closing nook and on the run to the end line, however admitted that he wouldn’t have caught him with out the Mercedes’ turbo momentarily costing the Briton velocity.
“And naturally, it regarded shut on the road, however I believe that was extra as a result of I believe George suffered from a bit little bit of enhance lag in 15 with the yellow flag,” he mentioned. “So if you happen to take a look at the final stint, it was all the time one second.
“In order that’s in all probability additionally the place we might have completed.”
Verstappen will now head to Sepang for Malaysia’s internet hosting of the Bahrain Grand Prix, nearer to a victory in 2026 than ever earlier than.
READ MORE – F1 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix – Race Outcomes