Max Verstappen notched a third-place end in final week’s Formulation 1 United States Grand Prix. Whereas the consequence was fraught with controversy — Verstappen benefited from a five-second handed right down to his rival within the Drivers’ Championship, Lando Norris, which McLaren has since requested a “proper of evaluate” — the consequence allowed Verstappen to outscore his rival for the primary time because the Belgian Grand Prix.
His try at an analogous consequence on this week’s Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix has gotten off to a rocky begin.
Verstappen’s first observe session was marked not solely by some flooring harm he picked up on his FB20, however was additionally minimize brief as a result of a lack of energy unit in his automotive. Whereas Verstappen returned to the monitor for the prolonged 90-minute FP2 session in Mexico Metropolis — Pirelli is conducting a tire take a look at which resulted within the elongated observe session — Verstappen’s FP2 was once more minimize brief, because the workforce reported one other drawback along with his energy unit:
Automobile 1 won’t run once more in FP2 as we examine a PU situation additional #F1 || #MexicoGP
— Oracle Crimson Bull Racing (@redbullracing) October 25, 2024
Talking after FP1, Crimson Bull Senior Advisor Dr. Helmut Marko famous each the ground harm, in addition to some uncertainty over the lack of energy:
Helmut Marko on Max’s flooring harm and engine situation
“The ground is badly broken. We have now to switch it. Happily, we nonetheless have a spare flooring. And as for the engine: we do not know precisely what the trigger is but.”
[https://t.co/w4DsqTmtA4]
— RBR Day by day (@RBR_Daily) October 25, 2024
If Crimson Bull is compelled to vary the facility unit on Verstappen’s RB20, he would face a five-place grid penalty consequently. Verstappen already exceeded his allotted variety of energy models this season and served a penalty when the workforce modified out the facility unit on his RB20 on the Belgian Grand Prix again in July.
This comes at a essential time within the season for Verstappen and Crimson Bull. Whereas he leads Norris by 57 factors within the Drivers’ Championship (and Charles Leclerc by 79 factors) Crimson Bull trails McLaren within the Constructors’ Championship by 40 factors, and they’re solely 8 factors forward of Ferrari in that battle.
With Sergio Pérez in the midst of what he described this week as a “horrible season,” Crimson Bull wants the whole lot they’ll get from Verstappen if they’re going to someway pull out a Constructors’ Championship. As for the Drivers’ Championship, Verstappen wants each level he can salvage to carry off Norris and Leclerc.
This isn’t how they wished to start out their journey to Mexico Metropolis.
