Max absolves over 180 miles in FR 3.5 test

Published on 25 September 2014 by Stefan Meens

After lapping the Red Bull Ring more than 70 times, Max Verstappen comfortably absolved a Grand Prix distance during at test on Wednesday. Max drove a Formula Renault 3.5, a car that sits between F3 and Formula 1. “Today I had the chance to clock more than 180 miles. All went well and as I had driven this FR 3.5 racer before, I was able to push quickly. However the most important goal was to have as much track time as possible.”

The rapid Dutchman was not the only one out on track as he shared the Red Bull Ring with five Formula 3 racers. Nevertheless, he was able to absolve the test without any hindrances. “We had no issues all day. I stayed on the track and managed a lot of laps which was our main goal”, explains Max. “We did a lot of long runs because it takes a while to really get up to speed at the Red Bull Ring. The first few laps you struggle for grip, but after a while you are really able to push.” 

The test was part of Max' preparation for his F1 début. “The car has carbon brakes, similar to an F1 car so today I had the chance to get used to them.” Furthermore, the outing tested Max' physical condition, as the Formula FR 3.5 cars are physically more demanding to drive than F3 racers. “Despite the long runs and amount of laps, my arms and neck are totally fine. In the end, I’m happy with today's progress and the test served as excellent training."

Special thanks to Ulrich Eicher for the pictures (© byEicher).