Verstappen Outpaced by Pérez in Baku: A Rare Defeat at Red Bull

Sponsored Ad

Max Verstappen was outqualified by Sergio Pérez at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, marking a rare defeat for the reigning champion after 33 races. Verstappen, leading the championship, faced technical issues, particularly rear bouncing, which led to a sixth-place finish in Q3, below his usual standards.

"The modifications to the car created severe bouncing at the rear, making it hard to navigate through the corners," Verstappen explained. The Baku circuit's demanding layout, requiring precision in both entry and exit from turns, was exacerbated by his struggles with understeer.

Despite slight improvements in Q2, the issues with the car persisted. "In Q2, things felt a little better, but the car still wasn’t responding the way I needed it to," he added. "Understeer remained a problem, which isn’t ideal on a circuit like this."

In Q3, Verstappen’s hopes for a comeback were dashed when he made a small mistake on his first run, and the persistent bouncing in the second run further limited his chances of posting a competitive lap time.

"I made an error on my first run, and during the second, the bouncing was still there, making it impossible to push the car to its limits," Verstappen admitted.

Despite the disappointing outcome, the two-time world champion maintained a positive outlook. "It’s frustrating, but I’m not too downhearted. I knew it was going to be tough today," he said.

Meanwhile, Sergio Pérez capitalized on Verstappen’s difficulties to secure fourth place on the grid, outpacing his teammate for the first time this season. However, Pérez remained somewhat disappointed with his own performance, believing he had the potential to secure second place with a perfect lap.

"I think second place was within reach with a flawless lap," Pérez said. "I had a really strong second sector, but I missed out by about a tenth and a half."

Despite this slight frustration, Pérez remains optimistic for race day, expressing confidence in his strategy and ability to compete. "We have a different approach compared to some of the other teams, so we’ll see how it plays out tomorrow. I’m confident that I can have a strong first stint, and then it’s about making progress during the race," he added.

As the race looms, there’s uncertainty surrounding Red Bull’s performance. While Pérez is hopeful, Verstappen remains cautious about the team’s prospects on this challenging circuit.

"With the car as it is now, it doesn’t look very promising, but we’ll see what happens tomorrow," Verstappen said, leaving fans wondering whether Red Bull can overcome its setbacks in time for the race.

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix promises to be an unpredictable battle for Red Bull, with Pérez poised for a potential strong showing, while Verstappen may face an uphill struggle to reclaim his usual dominance.