Max Verstappen is confident that his gamble to finish the Australian Grand Prix on slick tires, even though it didn’t pay off, was a chance worth taking since he anticipated a second-place finish anyway.
Towards the end of the race, a sudden downpour caused both leading McLaren drivers to veer off the track in the final sector. Oscar Piastri found himself stuck on the grass for almost an entire lap, while Lando Norris quickly returned and headed for the pits. Verstappen chose to stay out on his slick tires, holding the lead for two laps before eventually making a pit stop and falling behind the McLarens.
Reflecting on this decision, Verstappen noted, “We were on medium tires, and with about 15 to 20 laps left when the safety car emerged, I thought our call was logical,” he explained. “Then, the rain started. When I saw them go off ahead of me, I kept my lines clean and decided to stay out when Oscar reentered the track because only those last three corners were wet. The rest was fine.”
He continued, “Initially, the first two sectors weren’t a problem – the key was surviving the last sector. During that lap, it was manageable, and if the rain didn’t worsen, staying out could’ve worked. Even if they caught up on intermediates, they’d need to switch back to slicks if the rain stopped. So, it seemed reasonable.”
While attempting another lap, conditions quickly deteriorated during Sector 2, forcing Verstappen to pit. However, looking back, he believed his strategy didn’t affect his final standing. “Whether I boxed with Lando or stayed out longer, I’d still have finished P2. We gave it a go – it could’ve been successful. Although it didn’t work out, we didn’t lose a position, so it ended alright,” he said.
After switching to intermediates, Verstappen pressed Norris until the very end following another late safety car, although he admitted he couldn’t capitalize on McLaren’s earlier race performance. “Our car compared well against those behind, but in the initial stint, we fell behind. Once the tires overheated, we couldn’t keep up as McLaren pulled away.
“So, there’s still a significant gap to address if we aim for victory. Nevertheless, being second here feels like an achievement. It’s an improvement from last year’s standings and adds 18 more points than I managed at this event previously.”
