“I think it was not too bad, it was very close,” Verstappen said. “Maybe some people around us already turned up the engine a bit in terms of top speed.
“I don’t say everyone around us did that but a few did, so I’m not too worried about the gap to P1, for example. But it’s going to be very close in qualifying, so that’s going to be very nice.”
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20
Photo by: Erik Junius
When team advisor Marko was asked by Motorsport.com/Autosport if Red Bull was on the bottom end of engine mapping compared to its rivals, he replied: “Yes. Not everybody is using the same engine mapping, so we are not worried.
“Today it didn’t come as easy as during the tests. The long run was good, but qualifying will be very tight.”
But amid all the excitement over a tighter grid in qualifying, Red Bull still looked ominously dominant in race simulations, which has long been its focus on grand prix weekends.
“There were a few little balance issues from front and rear, but nothing big,” he explained.
“It’s just about trying to find that sweet spot. Especially around here with the rough tarmac, once you find that sweet spot you just pick up time and that’s what we’ll try to focus on.
“It’s not too far away, just trying to get into it and feel a little bit happier with the car. But you also want to focus a bit on the long run because that’s where the car really needs to work.
“Of course, qualifying is also important but we need to make sure the car is in good shape for the race.”
Additional reporting by Ronald Vording
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Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
