Max Verstappen delivers verdict on Russell’s Singapore GP crash
Max Verstappen inherited the lead of the Singapore GP sprint when George Russell crashed out.
SINGAPORE – Max Verstappen has sympathised with George Russell over the latter’s crash in the Singapore GP sprint race, branding it an “easy mistake to make” in the conditions.
A deluge prior to lights out triggered a 30-minute delay at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, with all drivers beginning the shortened 20-lap race on the Intermediate tyre.
Max Verstappen’s verdict on Russell’s Singapore GP sprint crash
Once proceedings got underway with a standing start, Verstappen’s sluggish launch enabled Russell’s fast-starting Mercedes to seize the high ground going into Turn 1.
“Like always, it just doesn’t go off the line,” Verstappen, who also squandered places from pole position in Sepang last weekend, siad.
“It’s just we (Red Bull) don’t accelerate off the line.”
However, Verstappen didn’t have to wait long to regain the lead as Russell spun into the wall on the exit of the last corner, ending the Mercedes driver’s race on the spot.
Verstappen has indicated that he was not surprised that Russell lost the car, citing that his rival had experienced several snaps on the damp track prior to his accident.
“He was sideways already a few times in that first lap, so I think he was just pushing quite hard on the first lap already,” he recounted.
“And then in the last corner he clipped the white line, and then of course, it did send him left into the wall. Easy mistake to make, I guess. Unlucky at the same time.
“But, yeah, as soon as I saw him go, probably I was in the nicest position compared to the cars behind because the spray, it’s sometimes really hard to see what’s going on.”
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Verstappen was able to open up an advantage over the chasing Ferraris over the subsequent laps, crossing the line with 2.5 seconds in hand over Lewis Hamilton.
“It was a bit weird, of course, in places where it was very wet, and then in other places it was basically dry,” he said. “So it’s also just about managing the tyre till the end.
“You never know what is the best way, but at the end of the day, I think the way we managed it was enough to win it.
“But at the same time, of course, when the tyres start wearing, as soon as you get onto a little bit of a damp patch, or because the rubber is, of course, falling off in some places, the corner actually becomes quite greasy because of the rubber. Yeah, [a] tiny bit offline can cause it to go off or have a moment.
“So especially on the street circuit you cannot afford to have too many moments.
“So a management race till the end, but we I think managed it quite well.”
Looking ahead, Verstappen is bidding to replicate his earlier exploits over one lap to land pole position for the Grand Prix, as he chases an elusive maiden win in Singapore.
“Well, I’m excited for qualifying for sure,” he previewed. “I want to, of course, try and fight for pole again, even though I think I do think that it will be a tight battle with a lot of cars, which I think is great, of course. And yeah, I hope we can be in that fight.
“But still, we need to, of course, still do a start afterwards. And up until now, we always have terrible starts, so yeah, we need to really understand what we’re doing wrong there.
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