Verstappen: Red Bull Lacks Pace as McLarens Outperform in Imola Practice
Summary
Max Verstappen admits Red Bull's pace is lacking as McLaren outshines them in Imola practice. Upgrades brought by Red Bull haven't closed the gap, with McLaren looking superior.
Verstappen: Red Bull Lacks Pace as McLarens Outperform in Imola Practice
Why it matters: Max Verstappen admits Red Bull is not fast enough after McLarens, particularly Oscar Piastri, outperformed them in the Imola GP practice sessions.
The big picture: Red Bull brought upgrades to Imola, but McLaren's improvements seem to have given them the edge in long runs.
What happened:
- Verstappen struggled in FP1 and finished FP2 in fifth, 0.442 seconds behind Piastri.
- McLaren demonstrated superior pace, overtaking Verstappen in long runs.
- Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko noted progress but acknowledged McLaren's significant advantage.
- Yuki Tsunoda showed promising performance, close to Verstappen's pace.
Key quotes:
- Verstappen: "Overall not fast enough at the moment... In the long runs I got overtaken by the McLaren, so that that says enough, right?"
- Marko: "McLaren is still, from what it looks like, four tenths ahead - that’s quite a lot on this track."
What's next: Red Bull needs to improve its car balance for better performance in qualifying and the race. Tyre degradation and the performance of Tsunoda will be key factors.
Original Article :https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/verstappen-overtaken-by-mclarens-in-f1-imola-...