Max Verstappen, the winner of the race, celebrated his victory on the podium of the Japanese Grand Prix. The event of the Formula 1 World Championship took place on April 7, 2024, in Suzuka, Japan.
Verstappen responded to Toto Wolff’s statements that he will win the Formula 1 title in 2024, after his third victory in four races. Since the introduction of ground-effect cars, Red Bull Racing has been the dominant force in the sport, winning all races except two in the previous season.
Although Verstappen led Red Bull to a 1-2 finish in the first two races of this season, his championship lead was compromised in Australia due to a brake issue that forced him to retire from the race. However, he made a remarkable comeback in Suzuka, starting from pole position and securing a dominant victory. Sergio Perez’s performance also contributed to Red Bull’s success in maximizing points.
Verstappen expressed his satisfaction with the victory, stating that it took a few laps to adapt to the car’s performance. However, he credited the team for making significant changes to the car before qualifying, which improved his driving experience. The adjustments made during the first stint of the race further increased his comfort and allowed him to push when needed and conserve his tires. Verstappen felt competitive on both the Medium and Hard tire compounds.
Despite securing pole position, Verstappen initially had concerns about the race pace of the Red Bull car during practice. However, the team made undisclosed changes that significantly improved the balance and drivability of the car. Verstappen acknowledged that he cannot provide specific details about the modifications, but they ultimately made the car more enjoyable to drive and increased his control.
Cuando se le preguntó sobre los cambios en la configuración, Verstappen enfatizó la importancia de buscar constantemente áreas para mejoras. Destacó que la decisión del equipo de cambiar la configuración del coche resultó en una mejor adherencia, lo que desempeñó un papel crucial en su éxito.
Verstappen afirmó que su regreso a lo más alto del podio en Japón no fue un «alivio», sino una victoria satisfactoria. Enfatizó la importancia de ganar en Japón, considerando el fuerte apoyo de los fanáticos y la presencia de Honda. Verstappen reconoció que la carrera anterior en Melbourne fue un contratiempo, pero expresó su determinación en salir adelante y ganar en cada carrera.
A pesar de sus consistentes pole positions y liderazgo actual en la clasificación, Verstappen descartó la idea de que está garantizado para mantener su título. Se refirió a comentarios positivos hechos por el Jefe de Equipo de Mercedes, Toto Wolff, pero enfatizó que la temporada aún es larga y prefiere concentrarse en una carrera a la vez. Verstappen reconoció que puede haber pistas donde su rendimiento no sea tan fuerte, pero buscarán maximizar sus puntos en esas carreras también.
