This weekend, in the torrid Qatar, all the paths that had been built in the previous 16 races of the Formula 1 World Championship merge. Max Verstappen, the Red Bull leader who started the year as a favorite for his titles in 2021 and 2022; the one who established the historical record of 10 consecutive victories in the same season in the last Italian Grand Prix; the one who has won 13 races in seven months and hopes to beat his own record for the highest number of points in a single year (454), will celebrate his three-time championship in Lusail with five races remaining and with practically double the points of the second in the board.
The Dutchman’s dominance is mainly explained, according to Pierre Wache himself, Red Bull’s technical chief, by the excessive distance between his car and the rest of the grid. “Success not only depends on us, but also on others. And the difference is greater than we expected,” said the French engineer a few weeks ago about the RB19, a car with unparalleled aerodynamic efficiency in the highest category of motorsport.
In this regard, and With Verstappen’s third crown on the table, Juan Pablo Montoya spoke with EL TIEMPO. In the talk, the reasons why the historic Colombian driver feels that Formula 1 goes beyond the hegemony that the Dutchman establishes.
(Also: Juan Pablo Montoya shares his truth: ‘I was not enjoying Formula 1’).
Max Verstappen, at 26 years old, will be the new three-time Formula 1 champion…
Yes, at the beginning of the year it was already known that Red Bull was ahead of the others in terms of the bandwagon. Last season, his car was the only one that didn’t have problems with the purpoising and this year they have had the advantage of improving their aerodynamic issue even more, so Max had the advantage.
Checo Pérez has the same car and has half the points…
That’s the thing, the car gives you the advantage but the driver exists for a reason, and ‘Checo’ in some races has not been able to maximize his potential.
Doesn’t so much difference between Red Bull and the others end up tarnishing the show?
One understands that people only look at the one who wins the Grand Prix, the one who wins the World Championship, but the rest of the races that take place in a weekend, in the other positions, are very good. Truly a great job has been done with the cars and that must be highlighted. One thing I really like about Formula 1 is that although Red Bull continues to dominate, you have no idea who is going to come after them, and those who like this thing get caught.
Lewis Hamilton has complained several times about the dominance of Verstappen and the RB19…
The issue is that that is the nature of motorsports, that whoever has the best car wins, but I still tell him that other drivers could become champions in the Red Bull car. And it’s funny because right now they have the best car, but Mercedes had the best in 7 or 8 years and Lewis never said anything.
And the rest didn’t say anything?
Nooo, I’m sure Max was complaining. The problem is that the focus of the Formula 1 mass media is English, and if Lewis, who is from there, says something, it is much more important than if Max said it.
What remains then?
Well, Formula 1 is much more than Verstappen. You look at the fight for second place now and it is something incredible. I think that is impressive, as a show and everything is very good. The expectation of knowing who gets on the podium, a Mercedes, a Mclaren, an Aston Martin… those who like this enjoy it. For example, did (Fernando) Alonso lose his streak or what happened?
I’ll pass that question on to you…
(Laughs) Imagine… what people don’t know is that the car changes for each race, and look. Alonso started very well, and although he continues fighting at the top, the issue is no longer the same. What does one say? That he forgot to drive? That’s the thing… this sport is very cruel.
Will today be crueler than before?
It’s always been complicated, but now there are a lot more details. Look, in Formula 3, Sebastián (Montoya) makes reports every weekend. He sits for two full days in front of a computer on the weekend, and then spends another three days preparing for the next weekend, watching previous races and on-board videos and making notes. You saw how they prepare races nowadays…, I get on and drive. In my time you didn’t have to do any of that.
You, at 48 years old, are still running…
Yes, and I do it because I like it, but my priority right now is Sebastián. We are racing in Europe, the Le Mans Series and the truth is in the last races we didn’t have much luck, but we have improved a lot. Right now there are two races left in Portugal and I hope we have a chance to close the year well.
ANDRÉS FELIPE BALAGUERA SARMIENTO
EL TIEMPO EDITOR
@balagueraaa / [email protected]
Verstappen will start from pole on Sunday
Max Verstappen (Red Bull) will start from pole position at the Qatar Grand Prix after having achieved first place on the grid this Friday at the Lusail circuit.
The Dutchman surpassed the British George Russell (Mercedes) and Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), achieving his tenth pole position in 17 races this season.
“It’s a great start to the weekend,” said Verstappen, who celebrated his 26th birthday last weekend.
“I’m happy for the pole, it’s been a good day for us,” he added.
“It was difficult for the tires, with a lot of sand on the circuit, but our car is working very well,” analyzed the Dutchman, who achieved the 30th pole of his career. “The fact of being able to win doesn’t change anything, I just want to have a good weekend, this doesn’t give me extra pressure,” he concluded.
Before the Sunday race, the sprint test will be held this Saturday, around 12:30 pm, in which Verstappen would only need to finish sixth to become F1 world champion for the third year in a row.
Alonso, fourth in the World Championship, 16 points behind Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – who is third – will start from the second row, alongside the seven-time English world champion, who will start from third place on the Sunday grid.
Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), fifth, and Piastri, from sixth place, will do so from the third row; one ahead of the two French Alpine drivers: Pierre Gasly will start seventh and Esteban Ocon, eighth.
In a race scheduled for 57 laps, to complete a route of 308.6 kilometers. The Finnish Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) will start ninth, from the fifth row, next to Norris, who, with his two laps removed, did not set a time and was tenth in Q3. All this will happen on Sunday.
This Saturday, in the fourth of the six weekends with a sprint format, the reduced qualification (‘sprint shootout’) will be held first and then the short test – about a third of the distance of the Sunday one -, which distributes points between the first eight and in which Verstappen would do well to be sixth to celebrate his third title in a row.
EFE
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