Max Verstappen reveals reason for delayed Australian GP pitstop

Max Verstappen celebrated on the podium in Australia.

Four-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen finished the Australian Grand Prix in second position behind McLaren's Lando Norris. The wet race ended with six drivers retiring.

In the latter stages of the race, after both McLaren drivers ran wide on Turn 11, Norris pitted straight away, but Verstappen stayed out for an additional two laps before he peeled into the pits. Discussing why he and the Red Bull team made this decision, the Dutchman explained in the press conference:

"We were in the medium, and of course you never know how that's going to work out. I thought it was quite a sensible call, with 15, 16 or 20 laps to go when the safety car came out. Then of course it started to rain. I saw them go off in front of me. I kept it clean when I saw Oscar rejoining.

"I was like, 'let's stay out' because it was only those three corners. The rest was still dry because when I continued, the first two sectors were fine. It was just if I could survive the final sector.

"I think that lap that I did, I was like, well, if there's not a lot more rain coming, I think it can work. Because you have to also factor in that even if they would catch me on an inter, they have to box again for slicks at one point if it's not going to rain anymore. So it was fine. I was like, 'yeah, we'll do another lap.' But then unfortunately, on that lap, the first sector I think was still okay-ish but then from sector two, it just started to rain a little bit too much.

"Then we had to box. I think in hindsight, it wouldn't have mattered. If I would have boxed together with Lando, it would have been P2. If I would have boxed the next lap, it would have been P2. And the lap that I boxed, I was also P2. We tried something else. It might have worked this time. In a way, it didn't work, but we didn't lose any position, so it's fine."

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images

In comparison to the start of the weekend in free practice, the Red Bull driver is "happy" to have secured second place. He added:

"I think it's good compared to, let's say, the teams behind us. But of course, if you look at the first stint, we were quite a bit off. As soon as the tyres started to overheat, we had no chance.

"And yeah, basically, McLaren just took off. So we still have a lot of work to do to fight for a win. I'm very happy that we are second here. It's basically one place better than we should have been. And it's 18 more points than I had last year at this track."

Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko explained to Viaplay that they could match McLaren for 6-8 laps until tyre degradation became a problem.

"We can match them for six-eight laps, but then our tyre degradation comes earlier, and that's the main problem we have to work on.

"But through the conditions and changing safety car and so on, Max was there and I think in the last six laps he was the faster guy, but of course there was just one dry line and overtaking was not possible, so what he tried is to push Lando into a mistake. Didn't do so, but I think it's a very good result for us and it will be a tough season."