Max Verstappen has maintained that he possesses no plans to “sit there and accept” Red Bull’s disadvantage in pace to McLaren in Formula 1‘s Japanese Grand Prix.
Verstappen brought an end to a protracted 15-race run without a pole position as he delivered a mesmerising lap at Suzuka to usurp the well-fancied McLaren drivers.
McLaren had dominated the weekend until that moment as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri headed the times during all three practice sessions and in both Q1 and Q2.
However, Verstappen warned that Red Bull’s issues with the RB21 aren’t resolved despite his breakthrough result, with McLaren touted as the team to beat in the race.
The Dutchman, a three-time winner in Japan, heads into tomorrow’s 53-lap encounter aware that converting pole would ensure he closes his eight-point gap to Norris.
But while he admitted his attention will be on maximising his title hopes, Verstappen has indicated that he is willing to get his elbows out against the McLaren pairing.
Asked how hard it will be to keep the McLarens behind, Verstappen told media including Motorsport Week: “It will be very hard, but that’s fine. I’ll try to do my best.”
“So far this season we have not been able to fight them. But it’s not like we just sit there and accept it.
“We try to do the very best and we’ll give it a good fight tomorrow if we can.
“But at the end of the day, it’s a very long championship and you need to keep on scoring points whenever you can in the best way possible.
“At least we’re starting from the front – then we’ll see where we go.”
Verstappen unsure about Red Bull’s race pace
Verstappen has acknowledged that Red Bull’s pace in race trim remains an unknown as a truncated FP2 session denied the teams the chance to obtain long-run data.
“We did what we could. Now I don’t know,” Verstappen said regarding Red Bull’s homework going into the race.
“First, we also have to wait and see what weather we’ll get.
“And from then onwards, I think it’s very important to just focus on ourselves, do the best we can, execute the race, of course, in the best way possible.
“But I don’t know how fast we will be.”
READ MORE – Max Verstappen warns Red Bull issues aren’t solved despite ‘special’ Japan pole
