After securing second place at the Turkish Grand Prix in 2021 and taking the lead in the standings, Max Verstappen summarized his race in terms of tire management in wet weather. The young Dutchman is heading into the next race in Austin, Texas, six points ahead of Lewis Hamilton.
During the post-race podium ceremony, Verstappen said:
“I think it was better in a way that it was a wet start than a dry start.” I am very happy with P2⃣! It wasn’t easy to manage the tires throughout the race, but we maximized the result. Together with @SChecoPerez on the podium, crowns a good day for the team 
#KeepPushing #TurkishGP 
#KeepPushing #TurkishGP
https://t.co/a1n9a9nEMB
During the FIA press conference, he said of his relatively lonely race:
“Yes, when you consider that our entire weekend was a bit out of the pace compared to Mercedes, I think we had a very decent race.”
When asked if he could have benefited from a win, Verstappen at the front said that at no point in the race did he have the pace to attack leader Valtteri Bottas. The 23 year old said:
“I mean, at the beginning I was just trying to follow Valtteri, but of course we had to deal with the tires so I fell a little behind. At some point we increased the pace a bit, partly because the track was drying out a bit, but yes, there was no point where I would attack Valtteri and of course he managed his race very well and checked his tires. “
In the Verstappen race it was all about second place
When his team picked him up for intermediate tires with about 20 laps to go, Verstappen explained, his main focus was on getting the car home safely in second. He said:
“I think I decided to bring it home with 20 laps to go. I didn’t have the pace to fight Valtteri anyway, so I didn’t have to try to be within two or three tenths to just follow him. Just save the tires until the end. “
When asked if it was difficult to generate grip with fresh intermediate tires, which many drivers, including Hamilton, have struggled with, Verstappen said:
“It was a nice feeling, because compared to the end of the first stint you have no more grip and really hang on to the tires because the rear tires are gone too, so at the beginning it was all about administration.”
Despite a strong result on a track where they initially struggled, the young Red Bull driver expressed concern that his rivals are stronger. He said:
“They were definitely faster this weekend. We just couldn’t get it together and even when it was wet they seemed to be a bit ahead. Of course we have to analyze why we weren’t so competitive here. “
Looking forward to the next race, the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, Verstappen said:
“Also a lot of flat-out passages, the tire wear is also quite high, so there are a few things to consider.”
Double podium = double ???? photo 
Double podium = double ???? photo
https://t.co/tvfYsKDhSP
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Most of the remaining races of the season are held on tracks that mostly favor the Red Bull. But perhaps more importantly, a strong result on an awkward track like Istanbul Park will have been a confidence boost for both the driver and the team’s morale on the way to the next race.
Given the current momentum of Red Bull Racing, a possible win to end Mercedes’ domination at the Circuit of the Americas is a realistic goal for Verstappen and the Milton Keynes team.
Edited by Sandeep Banerjee
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