Max Verstappen received a black and white flag for repeatedly exceeding track limits during the Emilia-Romagna GP. Verstappen, along with Red Bull, made an incredible recovery in the race after a disappointing performance in free practice. The Dutch driver secured pole position and equalled the world record for consecutive poles in F1. As a result, Verstappen was expected to have a smooth race at the Italian circuit. However, he expressed his frustration with the issues he was facing through the team radio.
Initially, Verstappen raised concerns about balance and grip issues during Friday’s race sessions. The RB20 car was upgraded before qualifying, which helped Verstappen secure pole position. However, during the race, he received a black and white flag for repeatedly breaking the rules. Verstappen is struggling with understeer and grip issues around the circuit.
When Verstappen was informed about the black and white flag, he did not hold back in expressing his resentment. The current world champion criticized the condition of the car and the tires, describing them as «f**ked». The medium compounds were particularly challenging to drive after several laps. Consequently, the 26-year-old driver questioned the team about their decision to stay on track despite the ongoing issues.
Fans at the Imola circuit did not expect such a dominant performance from Max Verstappen and Red Bull after their difficulties on Friday. Verstappen revealed that he entered qualifying believing that even a position among the top five would be enough. This is due to the difficulties faced by the Austrian team throughout the weekend.
Sin embargo, durante la sesión, Verstappen se sintió genial y más cómodo. Él enfatizó su capacidad para atacar las curvas y completar vueltas exitosas. El piloto holandés mencionó que estaba llevando al límite al desafiante RB20, especialmente en la última curva.
Como resultado, Max Verstappen está liderando cómodamente el GP de Emilia-Romaña, sin enfrentar mucha competencia. El piloto de 26 años probablemente entregará otra actuación dominante y asegurará la victoria en el fin de semana. McLaren está monitoreando de cerca el rendimiento de Red Bull y podría representar un desafío difícil durante la carrera.