In two words, Max Verstappen quickly concluded the conclusion on Sunday afternoon. “I’m out“Sounded the on -board radio just after the start of the Grand Prix of Austria. The Dutch driver, reigning world champion in Formula 1, was already tapped in the third corner by the Italian Kimi Antonelli in the Mercedes.”I Got Hit Like Crazy“, Verstappen commented from his car, followed by a power term of disappointment.
Due to his crash in the first round, Verstappen achieved no points in the battle for the world championship for the first time in 31 Grands Prix. After four world titles in a row, the chances of a new title have shrunk further. In Austria, McLaren’s competition benefited optimally from its failure.
After an exciting race, the Brit Lando Norris defeated his Australian teammate Oscar Piastri, who still leads in the World Cup classification with 216 points. Norris came closer because of his victory and has 201 points. Verstappen, winner in Italy and Japan earlier this season, gets stuck at 155 points after eleven of the 24 races.
Calculated on ‘his’ Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, where he already managed to win five times, the race now ended in a deception for Verstappen. In qualifying he got no further than the seventh starting position on Saturday. “The car is completely unmanageable,” he responded from the car. “It’s even worse than before. I don’t know what to say.”
At Viaplay he also showed himself negative a little later. “It was not nice to drive. In the training sessions it was still possible, but in qualifying nothing really worked. I only look at the first place, I am dramatically far behind. The McLarens are now of a different level. If the balance is the same during the race tomorrow as in qualifying, it will not be much.”
Blocked wheels
With an estimated NOS, about 20,000 Dutch people in the stands, he won a place at the start of Liam Lawson at the start on Sunday: from seven to six. But in the third corner Antonelli came out from the inside, shot with blocked wheels and Tappen Verstappen from the track. The 18-year-old Italian himself couldn’t continue either. Verstappen did not blame him. “This can happen, nobody does that on purpose,” he said at Viaplay. “Every rider has experienced that once.”
At the front, Norris and Piastri competed for the win, which stated that McLarens teammates almost crashed in their mutual duel. Verstappen did not matter that Norris was the higher ranked Piastri. And his great backlog in the World Cup position? “I am not so busy with that, I don’t care.”