Verstappen reflects on near win after epic battle with Norris at Australian GP

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

Max Verstappen secured a strong P2 finish at the Australian Grand Prix, starting Red Bull’s season on a positive note. He described the race as a “decent starting point” after an eventful day on Melbourne’s Albert Park circuit.

Verstappen advanced from third to second at the start, overtaking Oscar Piastri to chase down leader Lando Norris. The World Champion took the lead when treacherous weather forced both McLarens off the track, causing Piastri to become stuck and Norris to pit. However, Verstappen also had to switch to intermediate tires, handing the lead back to Norris.

In a nail-biting finish, Verstappen closed in on Norris during the final laps after a late-race Safety Car. Despite his efforts, Norris held on for the victory, with Verstappen finishing just 0.895s behind.

“It was a difficult race but at the end it was fun,” said Verstappen. “Lando had a little moment on entry of Turn 6, so he lost a lot of momentum there and that is why I got close and I got the DRS. I got close but it's very hard to pass around here. But it was fun those last laps, pushing at least when you are fighting for the win. But I'm just very happy to bring it home, score good points, and this is a decent starting point for us."

Verstappen explained his decision to stay out on slick tires while others switched to intermediates, stating: “The McLarens went off and I think it was a panic 'Oh, I need to box'. So when they came in, I stayed out. The first lap, honestly, I think it was alright but then the weather continued a bit more on the other side of the track and we then had to box. But I think at the end of the day, even if we had to box one lap earlier, we would have still been P2 anyway after that stop. I think it was worth the gamble. It was quite spicy with the slick tyres, but it was alright at the end."

Verstappen also noted the performance of the RB21: “It is where I expected to be. You could see in that first stint that we were lacking a little bit of pace compared to the McLaren, but it's still 18 points more than I had here last year, so I take that.”

Verstappen was the sole Red Bull driver to score points, as his new teammate Liam Lawson crashed out of the race.

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