During the Australian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen encountered a significant setback when a brake fire forced him to retire early from the race.
This marked his first Did Not Finish (DNF) since the Melbourne race in 2022, ending a remarkable streak of reliability and success.
Verstappen, visibly frustrated, was captured in a heated exchange with a Red Bull team member.
The conversation, according to Verstappen, centered around the decision to attempt a pitstop despite the car being ablaze.
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“That was related to us doing a pitstop while the car was on fire. I was like, ‘Why are we doing a pit stop?'” Verstappen disclosed.
Despite this hiccup, Verstappen’s spirits remained high.
As the current championship leader, even without adding any points from this event, he is eager to return to the track and aim for victory at Suzuka.
Reflecting on his consistent performance and the team’s reliability over the past two years, he acknowledged the inevitability of setbacks.
“It excites me, in a way, because I would like to win…But of course, you never like to see it happen.
“But it’s more important now that we understand why it happened,” he commented, underlining the importance of learning from the incident.
Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team boss, commented on Verstappen’s reaction to the situation.
Despite the driver’s visible frustration, Horner praised Verstappen for handling the situation gracefully and empathizing with the team’s shared disappointment.
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“Obviously, a driver is going to be frustrated when he gets out of a car from a retirement. I think he’s been very gracious with the team and all of the mechanics,” Horner remarked.
He highlighted the collective effort to overcome challenges, emphasizing the need to understand and learn from the incident to avoid future mishaps.
Horner also noted the remarkable fact that Verstappen continues to lead the championship despite the setback, a testament to the team’s strength and resilience.