Max Verstappen claims that the new Pirelli tires are one of the primary reasons for the issues he has faced this season with his Red Bull RB18.
The Dutchman, however, understands that this could be expected considering that this is the debut season for new technical regulations. As a result, he feels there are far too many variables for the tire manufacturer to get right.
The Red Bull driver said:
“I think it’s gotten a bit better. Of course you have to bring a tire and you don’t even know how much downforce we will have. And with the greater weight, it’s difficult for Pirelli to know what to expect or what they get.”
Max Verstappen also claimed that part of his discomfort with the car comes from its weight and tire structure. He said:
“That probably comes from the weight of the car and the structure of the tires and is not ideal. But that’s why we have to work around this problem as teams and try to make the car steer a little better. We are improving the car, but there are still limitations that we have to deal with. You just have to try to get a little more rotation in the car.”
Despite all of these persistent lingering issues, the Dutchman was able to make his way through the field and win the 2022 F1 Hungarian GP. After the race, the driver received special praise from his team boss Christian Horner, who said:
“It was a fantastic race today. Everyone put in a top performance. Max was exceptional, even adding a little spin to his race as if coming back from 10th wasn’t hard enough. Strategy played a big part in our victory. We were due to start on the hard tyre but switched things up as a result of the ambient conditions. This win gives us a healthy lead going into the break but there are still areas to improve on.”
Max Verstappen ecstatic about his 2022 F1 Hungarian GP win
Max Verstappen appeared ecstatic after his win in Hungary and admitted that he did not expect to win the race after he started in 10th position. After the race, he said:
“It feels crazy to have won the race today from P10, especially on a track like this where it’s very hard to pass. We made all the right calls today, there were some good undercuts and overall we did a great job today as a Team. This was definitely one of my best races, despite the little 360-degree spin! I’m very happy with the lead that we have, but of course we have to keep pushing and win more races.”
Verstappen now enjoys a 80-point lead over Charles Leclerc. With only nine races left in the season, he is the runaway favorite to win the title this year.