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Qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix proved to be a difficult affair for Red Bull. Max Verstappen eventually secured sixth place on the grid, but it was far from straightforward.
Over team radio, the Dutchman first reported that he could not get temperature into the tyres and added that he was also lacking top speed.
“A lot of things from this qualifying session are very difficult to understand. For example, I have no idea where that final lap suddenly came from,” Verstappen reflected when speaking to the Dutch media. “Throughout the session I had very little top speed and simply no grip.”
As for that lack of top speed, Verstappen appeared to derate earlier than most of his rivals, something for which Red Bull has not yet found an explanation.
“I don’t know. I didn’t get any information from the team either, so it was clear that we couldn’t solve it during the session,” Verstappen said.
Max Verstappen said qualifying in Canada was
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Max Verstappen said qualifying in Canada was
Red Bull was convinced a different direction would work
However, the issue was not limited to tyre temperatures and top speed. Verstappen clarified that Red Bull had taken a set-up direction that he himself did not support.
“We did something different with my car, that’s what the team wanted. Clearly, that doesn’t work the way it should. But sometimes you also have to let the team do their thing and make clear that it doesn’t work. I said, ‘Go ahead, if you think this is going to work, then do it.’ And clearly, it doesn’t work.”
That does not sound like a typical Verstappen scenario. Normally, the Dutchman has a crucial voice in the set-up direction and the technical team tends to follow his lead, all the more so because Verstappen is not a rookie but a four-time world champion with plenty of experience.
“I’ve pointed it out so many times already, but sometimes you just have to let them feel for themselves that it doesn’t work.”
Asked why things had unfolded differently behind the scenes this weekend, Verstappen continued: “Of course they listen to me very often, but not this time, because they were convinced that it was going to work.”
It appears as though the setup was different across Red Bull's two cars
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It appears as though the setup was different across Red Bull's two cars
What makes that particularly remarkable – if the team was so convinced the approach would work – is that a different choice was made on Isack Hadjar’s car. Verstappen explained: “That’s because they wanted to try it with me, that has been the case for years. A driver can also say, ‘Just leave it as it is because it already feels reasonably okay,’ but for me it didn’t feel okay beforehand and it still doesn’t. I’m not easily satisfied with a car. I want to fight for victory, not for seventh place.”
According to Verstappen, it is now clear to everyone within the team that the chosen direction in Montreal was not the right one.
“It’s obvious, isn’t it? The whole qualifying session was going nowhere. I always stay reasonably calm about it, but hopefully now they know that it doesn’t work.”
When it was suggested that Verstappen had at least learned from this experience and would not allow it to happen again in the upcoming race weekends, he concluded:
“Yeah, I think that’s pretty clear.”
Photos from Canadian GP - Saturday
George Russell, Mercedes
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George Russell, Mercedes
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Carmen Montero Mundt, Lily Muni
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Carmen Montero Mundt, Lily Muni
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Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing
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George Russell, Mercedes, Alexander Albon, Williams
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George Russell, Mercedes, Alexander Albon, Williams
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Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
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Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
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George Russell, Mercedes
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Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
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Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team
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Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team
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Franco Colapinto, Alpine
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Franco Colapinto, Alpine
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Nico Hulkenberg, Audi F1 Team, Allan McNish
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Nico Hulkenberg, Audi F1 Team, Allan McNish
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Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team
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Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team
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Franco Colapinto, Alpine
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Franco Colapinto, Alpine
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George Russell, Mercedes
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George Russell, Mercedes
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George Russell, Mercedes
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George Russell, Mercedes
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George Russell, Mercedes
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George Russell, Mercedes
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Lando Norris, McLaren, George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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Lando Norris, McLaren, George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing
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Oscar Piastri, McLaren
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Oscar Piastri, McLaren
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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing, Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing, Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
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George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Oscar Piastri, McLaren
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Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Oscar Piastri, McLaren
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Lando Norris, McLaren
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Lando Norris, McLaren
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George Russell, Mercedes; Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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George Russell, Mercedes; Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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George Russell, Mercedes; Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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George Russell, Mercedes; Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
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Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
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Lando Norris, McLaren
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Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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Lando Norris, McLaren
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Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Oscar Piastri, McLaren
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Lando Norris, McLaren
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George Russell, Mercedes
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George Russell, Mercedes
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George Russell, Mercedes; Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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George Russell, Mercedes; Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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Lando Norris, McLaren, George Russell, Mercedes
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Lando Norris, McLaren, George Russell, Mercedes
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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Oscar Piastri, McLaren
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Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Oscar Piastri, McLaren
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Lando Norris, McLaren; George Russell, Mercedes; Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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Lando Norris, McLaren; George Russell, Mercedes; Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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Lando Norris, McLaren
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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
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George Russell, Mercedes
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George Russell, Mercedes
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Pierre Gasly, Alpine
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Pierre Gasly, Alpine
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Lando Norris, McLaren
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Lando Norris, McLaren
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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
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George Russell, Mercedes
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George Russell, Mercedes
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George Russell, Mercedes
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George Russell, Mercedes
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Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
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