Max previews Austrian GP: 'Every year is different, there are no guarantees'

Published on 02 July 2020 by Stefan Meens

The first weekend of July features the first Grand Prix of the 2020 Formula 1 season. The campaign kicks off with two races at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.

Due to the Covid19 pandemic, the F1 calendar has been altered significantly and it is still unsure how many rounds will be contested. Nevertheless, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen will stick to his usual approach: “For me, nothing changes, regardless if we race eight, fifteen or twenty-two times. You always want to avoid a DNF, they’re always costly. You always want to maximise the result and keep the risks to a minimum.”

As the Austrian Grand Prix poses the first opportunity for the teams to go head to head, nobody in the paddock really knows their pace compared to the opposition. “I think it’s looking good but we’ve only had the winter tests in Barcelona. We did bring new parts and we have a Honda power-unit upgrade, which is a good start. We planned to things anyway, but after four months it’s still good to bring this stuff to the track. I’m looking forward to see where we are.”

In both 2018 and 2019, Max took the victory at Red Bull’s home track. Nevertheless, Max remains realistic: “What happened the last couple of years was amazing. That doesn’t mean I arrive here expecting an easy win. Every year is different and there are no guarantees.”

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