Former F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has questioned Max Verstappen after he noticed his championship lead decreased for a 3rd consecutive race forward of this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix.
Verstappen surprisingly misplaced three factors to Lando Norris on the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday, so leads the Drivers’ Championship by 59 factors with seven occasions remaining.
Norris began down in fifteenth, 9 locations behind Verstappen, however used the choice technique of beginning on the laborious tyres and switching to the mediums to reel in a 15-second deficit to Verstappen after his pit cease, and overtook him to complete in fourth.
- Lando Norris: Beating Max Verstappen in Baku ‘spectacular’ for title hopes
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Though Verstappen lined the within into the primary nook, he couldn’t do something in regards to the charging Norris with three laps remaining and the momentum is firmly with McLaren going into the Singapore Grand Prix, stay on Sky Sports activities F1.
“Max for the previous couple of races sounds downbeat. He isn’t even feisty within the race and would not struggle that arduous,” mentioned 1997 F1 world champion Villeneuve.
“Even on the radio, we barely hear him. One thing has modified.
“He is aware of the automobile is not driving as he desires and his team-mate was rather a lot faster than him.”
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A probably enormous second within the championship as Norris passes title rival Verstappen and finishes in P4 after beginning the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in P15
Verstappen: We paid the worth for set-up modifications
Verstappen began in sixth and was set to complete behind Crimson Bull team-mate Sergio Perez for the primary time this season, till the Mexican collided with Carlos Sainz on the penultimate lap.
Crimson Bull modified Verstappen’s automobile set-up considerably earlier than qualifying on Saturday, which contributed to his lack of tempo in comparison with Perez.
“It was fairly a tough race. After qualifying I do not assume the ultimate change was the appropriate one,” mentioned Verstappen.
“We paid the worth for that. It was so simple as that as a result of for those who have a look at Checo he had a significantly better race. It appeared like he was extra comfy. From our facet, we tried one thing else and it did not work out. You win and lose as a staff.
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Sky F1’s Ted Kravitz displays on all the large speaking factors from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix
“In fact, I am not pleased with the efficiency. Generally you make some ultimate modifications earlier than qualifying and it really works, sadly this time it did not.”
Verstappen has scored only one podium within the final 5 races as Crimson Bull seem to have been outdeveloped by their rivals.
It’s a full distinction to final season when he gained a record-breaking 19 races. He was additionally on the rostrum at each race aside from the Singapore Grand Prix.
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Race highlights from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Singapore was the outlier for Crimson Bull in 2023 as they struggled with the kerbs and had been unable to get the automobile in the appropriate working window.
Sky Sports activities F1‘s Bernie Collins wouldn’t be a stunned to see an analogous state of affairs this weekend for Verstappen and Perez.
“I do not assume Singapore is the perfect monitor for them to bounce again however perhaps they’ve modified one thing since final yr,” she mentioned.
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Christian Horner responds to questions on if Adrian Newey is much less of a menace at Aston Martin and compares his exit to Eric Cantona and Cristiano Ronaldo’s at Manchester United
“What a distinction for Crimson Bull and Verstappen to say ‘we’re making last-minute modifications going into qualifying’. We have not heard that from him.
“He isn’t absolutely on high of the automobile. Initially coming into the weekend, they mentioned it [the issues] had been Monza particular and low downforce, but it surely nonetheless existed in Baku.”
What has brought on Crimson Bull’s drop in efficiency?
One motive for Crimson Bull’s struggles is the correlation from the wind tunnel to the monitor, which has put the staff on the mistaken growth path. The automobile additionally has a slender working window and appears laborious to drive when it’s not within the candy spot.
In Baku, Verstappen was quickest in Q2 however visibly sad with the automobile a couple of minutes later in Q3, and people difficulties continued into the race on Sunday.
Perez was within the lead battle behind Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc, so proved Crimson Bull had tempo within the automobile with the appropriate set-up.
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Watch new angles of Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez’s dramatic collision and aftermath as they tangled on the Azerbaijan Grand Prix
“I feel Checo discovered a very good rhythm and set-up. Checo’s automobile was very fast. We would have launched some issues on Max’s automobile that did not work as properly,” defined staff principal Christian Horner.
“We most likely broken the tyres rather a lot preventing in that group for such a protracted time period. In the event you have a look at George Russell’s stint, he began slowly then constructed into it. Actually irritating.”
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Horner say Perez ‘deserved much more’ after his crash with Sainz
Crimson Bull are usually not on the high of the Constructors’ Championship for the primary time in 55 races, relationship again to the 2022 Miami Grand Prix.
McLaren are 20 factors in entrance of Crimson Bull and presently have the quicker automobile.
“There’s nonetheless numerous racing to do. It was an impressive race on the entrance for therefore many laps,” mentioned Horner.
“It was nice to be in it. It was thrilling to be part of, simply disappointing it got here to an in depth like that when it did not must.”
Sky Sports activities F1’s stay Singapore GP schedule
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Look again at a few of the most dramatic moments to have taken place on the Singapore Grand Prix
Thursday September 19
12pm: Drivers’ Press Convention
Friday September 20
8.15am: F1 Academy Observe
10am: Singapore GP Observe One (session begins 10.30am)
11.55am: F1 Academy Qualifying
1.45pm: Singapore GP Observe Two (session begins 2pm)
3.15pm: The F1 Present
Saturday September 21
8am: F1 Academy Race One
10.15am: Singapore GP Observe Three (session begins 10.30am)
1pm: Singapore GP Qualifying build-up
2pm: SINGAPORE GP QUALIFYING*
4pm: Ted’s Qualifying Pocket book
Sunday September 22
8.30am: F1 Academy Race Two
11:30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Singapore GP build-up
1pm: The SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX
3pm: Chequered Flag: Singapore GP response
4pm: Ted’s Pocket book
*additionally stay on Sky Sports activities Principal Occasion
System 1’s thrilling 2024 season continues stay on Sky Sports activities F1 this weekend with extra beautiful avenue circuit motion, this time beneath the lights on the Singapore Grand Prix. Stream each F1 race and extra with a NOW Sports activities Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime