Why Verstappen couldn’t keep Norris from catching him · RaceFans

Max Verstappen’s plight became clear in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix when he caught championship rival Lando Norris and Williams driver Alexander Albon after his pit stop.

While his Red Bull race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase urged him to pass the pair “quickly”, it soon became clear Verstappen couldn’t pass them at all. Once Norris pitted, Red Bull gave Verstappen all the help they could to resist the McLaren but were powerless to prevent him taking what became fourth place.

Adding insult to injury, Verstappen’s last-ditch attempt to claim the bonus point for fastest lap was ruined when his team mate was involved in a crash which caused a Virtual Safety Car period. That was the final act in a tough afternoon for the world championship leader. His radio exchanges with his team reveal how it played out.

Verstappen’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix radio messages

Jump to:

“We are braking earlier than Checo”
“You’ll be racing Bearman and Ricciardo”
“Try to clear Lando and Alex as quickly as possible”
“My brakes are not working”
“I’m not holding this”
“You’re the fastest car on-track”
“Try and find another tenth or two”
“There’s an accident ahead”

“We are braking earlier than Checo”

Verstappen’s race got off to a promising start as he overtook George Russell and moved up to fifth.

But for once Sergio Perez was more comfortable in the RB20. As Verstappen began to struggle with his brakes his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase gave him some pointers on how his team mate was managing them.

“You’ll be racing Bearman and Ricciardo”

Eager for the opportunity to pit before those ahead of him, maximising his opportunity to attack, Verstappen came in on lap 12. Russell behind followed him.

“Try to clear Lando and Alex as quickly as possible”

Lando Norris and Alexander Albon delayed their pit stop and ran ahead of Verstappen at this stage. Red Bull expected their driver would be able to pass them, but he stayed behind both until they pitted, Albon on lap 31 and Norris six laps later.

Lambiase tried to help Verstappen’s efforts to attack them, advising him where he could turn up his engine in the final sector approaching the crucial flat-out blast from turn 16 back to the start/finish area.

“My brakes are not working”

As Verstappen continued to press the cars ahead, his brakes began to overheat. He was also told he couldn’t use maximum power for sustained periods.

“I’m not holding this”

Russell floundered at first on his hard tyres at the beginning of the stint, but once they improved he gained on Verstappen and reclaimed the position he lost on the first lap.

“You’re the fastest car on-track”

Soon afterwards Norris headed for the pits, finally releasing Verstappen. For a single lap – the 37th tour – he was the quickest driver on the track, but when Norris emerged from the pit he was frequently one-and-a-half seconds quicker than his rival.

“Try and find another tenth or two”

Norris quickly erased Verstappen’s lead. Once he got within range, Lambiase asked Verstappen whether he wanted to optimise his power use for the fastest possible lap time or to maximise his speed approaching turn one, where he would be most vulnerable to Norris. Verstappen chose the latter, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Norris sailing by in the DRS zone as soon as he caught the Red Bull.

“There’s an accident ahead”

Wasting no time, Red Bull summoned Verstappen into the pits for a fresh set of soft tyres so he could attempt to set the fastest lap of the race and take the bonus point for it away from Norris.

But his team mate inadvertently cost him the chance to do that. While Verstappen was up on the jacks, Perez tangled with Carlos Sainz Jnr at the exit of turn two, the pair spinning into the barriers. As Verstappen headed for the pit lane exit Lambiase informed his driver there was a crash ahead of him.

After checking both were alright, a dejected Verstappen had little else to say as he drove back to the pits.

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