Max Verstappen, the race winner, celebrated on the podium for Red Bull Racing. On June 9, 2024, the Canadian Grand Prix took place as part of the Formula 1 World Championship in Montreal, Canada.
Verstappen acknowledged that Red Bull is not experiencing the same level of success as they had last season, although he praised the team’s decisions during the Canadian Grand Prix. In the early stages of the race, Verstappen was pressuring George Russell, who was in the lead. However, a mistake by Russell allowed Lando Norris to overtake Verstappen. Russell’s error at the final chicane under braking gave Verstappen the opportunity to secure second place. Additionally, a well-timed Safety Car reduced the advantage Norris had built. McLaren’s mistake in not bringing Norris in during this phase allowed Verstappen to regain the lead, which he held until the end of the race, securing his 60th career victory.
Verstappen expressed his satisfaction with the win, highlighting the challenging competition and difficult track conditions. He emphasized the difficulty of driving on intermediate tires, as the track was drying in most places but still very wet in some corners. Despite the challenges, Verstappen found the race very enjoyable.
Verstappen praised the strategic decisions made by the Red Bull pit wall as the weather conditions changed. The team’s ability to avoid the mistakes that cost McLaren a win was crucial to their success. Verstappen emphasized the importance of clear communication between the driver and the pit wall to assess the conditions and make the right decisions.
However, Verstappen admitted that the electrical issue he faced during practice indicates that Red Bull is not performing at the same level as last year. Although the team is still doing many things right, they are not experiencing the same level of success and reliability they had in the previous season. Verstappen described the current situation as a spiral, but expressed confidence that the team will analyze and improve their performance.
