Max Verstappen believes his chances to win the Singapore Grand Prix disappeared with his start, and even a better handling vehicle would not make a difference.
The defending champion started with softer tires compared to the medium used for the rest of the top 7, but was unable to score positions from the line and had to settle for second place. As the race unfolded, Verstappen regularly complained about his car’s balance and how difficult it was to drive, but he didn’t believe he had won.
rear Race winner George Russell said he thought Verstappen would win if he took the lead in the startVerstappen added: “Yeah, I think so too.
“It’s very difficult to pass here, but I didn’t lead in turn 1. We knew that the inside was way too bad because of the performance in the start. For some reason, it was a step back compared to last year, so that’s a bit disappointing.
“I knew yesterday that even holding position on the same tire was very difficult. Of course, there was a possibility of rain. We chose to opt for something soft.
“And then I knew it was still a long way off, even with stiff tires. I think my tires were six or seven laps older than George and Rand (Norris). So, yeah, that wasn’t easy.
“So I think the second was the biggest we could do today, but at the same time, even if the balance got better, the second was the best we could have done if we stayed at turn 1 with P2.
He says he is not overly concerned that he is facing handling issues, despite admitting that he wanted his car to be more compliant during the race in Singapore, which was given the latest benefits.
“I think we definitely improved a lot in the last few races. Some of the things we did throughout the weekend are probably things we have to see again in the coming races. But that’s not shocking, or what we’ve lost about why the pace has disappeared compared to what we like.