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Red Bull team principal Christian Horner lauded Max Verstappen after the latter's dramatic late pass over Charles Leclerc to win the 2022 F1 Imola GP Sprint.
Despite being on pole for the 21-lap race, Red Bull's Verstappen did not have a perfect gear sync at the start of the race and was jumped for the lead by Leclerc in his Ferrari.
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The Dutchman was able to capitalize on the championship leader's late tire degradation to swoop in and reclaim the lead on the penultimate lap. Following Verstappen's triumph, Horner shared his thoughts with David Croft on Sky Sports F1. He said:
“It was super. He [Max Verstappen] really stuck at it. We had better degradation so it was really great from both drivers today, Checo [Sergio Perez] as well making great progress. I thought it was going to be close, he had the speed with the DRS and made it count so great performance, good to start first and third tomorrow but I am sure it will be tight tomorrow as well.”
Horner and Co. managed to walk away with 14 precious points for their efforts in the Sprint. As a result, the team from Milton-Keynes has now jumped up to P2 in the World Constructors' Championship standings.
"We still have 20 races left" - Max Verstappen urged to be patient by Red Bull's Helmut Marko after early struggles in 2022
Red Bull has urged Max Verstappen to be patient after his early struggles in the 2022 F1 season. The reigning world champion was forced to retire in two of the first three races, watching Ferrari's Charles Leclerc build a formidable lead in the championship standings.
Marko, who saw Verstappen's rise through the Red Bull ranks to the pinnacle of F1, admitted to asking the Dutchman to treat the remainder of the season as a marathon. In an interview, the 78-year-old said:
“His [Max Verstappen’s] youthful age is predestined for impatience. I told him we still have 20 races left, with over 500 points up for grabs with Sprint races and fastest laps. Nothing is lost. However, the Ferrari is a very reliable car that is fast in all conditions, and always drives in the right tire window from the start. It’s more difficult with our car. We need much longer to do this. We have to work on that.”
Verstappen is currently P5 in the World Drivers' Championship standings with 33 points and has a shot at a possible 26 points in the 2022 F1 Imola GP.
