"We just need to stay ahead of them"" - Max Verstappen sets 'clear' goals for Red Bull ahead of 2022 F1 Abu Dhabi GP"

Max Verstappen believes Red Bull will have to stay ahead of Ferrari and Mercedes in the 2022 F1 Abu Dhabi GP to aid Sergio Perez to a P2 finish in the drivers' standings. The Dutchman is confident of his team's long-running pace and feels it will be enough to stay clear of their rivals.

Asked by Sportskeeda what his team's strategy for the race was and which rival was a bigger threat, Max Verstappen replied:

“It's difficult to tell at the moment. I think, from our side, we looked good in FP2 with the long run and it seemed like both Ferrari and Mercedes seemed to struggle a little bit more at the time. But I don't know what they have done overnight so I guess we'll find out tomorrow. I think as a team, we just need to stay ahead of them, that's very clear, because that means that also Checo is ahead in the championship.”

Max Verstappen felt it was important to stay ahead of Ferrari and Mercedes as he spoke after the qualifying session for the 2022 F1 Abu Dhabi GP. While stating that it was important to aid his teammate in the race to finish second in the championship, the Red Bull driver was skeptical of whether Ferrari was a bigger threat or Mercedes. The double world champion, however, was confident of his team's long-running pace and felt it could aid them in staying ahead of their rivals in the race.

On the other hand, Charles Leclerc was asked by Sportskeeda how he planned to counter the Red Bulls, to which he felt that his teammate Carlos Sainz, who was paired alongside him, would help him pressure Perez in the race.

Leclerc said:

“Yeah, well, difficult to say for the strategy. I think we'll have to see once we are in the race, and what are the opportunities at that moment. Obviously, Carlos is starting right behind me and hopefully we can put a bit of pressure on Checo by doing different things.”

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Max Verstappen revealed that Red Bull allowed Sergio Perez to choose his qualifying strategy at Abu Dhabi

Max Verstappen revealed that Red Bull gave Sergio Perez the choice to choose his qualifying strategy after having towed him to P2 during qualifying. The Dutchman clinched the pole for the season finale as his teammate fights Leclerc for second place in the championship, a feat Red Bull are yet to achieve.

Asked about his team's qualifying strategy, Verstappen said:

“No, well, so going into the weekend, we gave Checo the option to choose what he would like: do you want to go first or behind? He chose to go behind and that was also the plan in qualifying but like I said, I was planned to go ahead in the first run as well but my engine… yeah, everything just turned off. But luckily, we got it together for the second one.”

After clinching his seventh pole of the year, Max Verstappen is ready to break his own record for the most number of wins in a season by claiming victory at the Yas Marina. The current qualifying result is Red Bull’s first front-row lockout since 2018. Meanwhile, Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc are tied at 290 points each ahead of the season finale at the Arabian circuit.