Max Verstappen: P4 the best Red Bull could do in “boring” Russian GP
Red Bull Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen felt he got the most out of what he d🅠escribed as a “pretty boring” Russian Grand Prix.
Verstappen outpaced Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas to set the fourth-fastest tim🔥e in qualifying but dropped to ninth once his five-place engine penalty was applied.
He started Sunday’sꦕ race from ninth on the grid in Sochi and progressed to a lonely fourth-place finish, ending up some 14-seconds adrift off the podium, which was completed by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

Red Bull Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen felt he got the most out of what he described as a🃏 “pretty bo🌱ring” Russian Grand Prix.
Verstappen outpa🉐ced Meꦡrcedes driver Valtteri Bottas to set the fourth-fastest time in qualifying but dropped to ninth once his five-place engine penalty was applied.
He started Sunday’s race from🤡 ninth on the grid in Sochi and progressed to a lonely fourth-place finish, ending up some 14-seconds adrift off the podium, which was completed by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
“It was pretty boring but that was the best we could do,” Verstappeﷺn concluded.
Asked where it all went wrong for Red Bull after a strong showing during Frida🐭y practice, the Dutchm𝓀an replied: “They [Ferrari] turned the engines up more than us.
“I think maybe🤡 they were not happy with thꦇeir car balances. I was straightaway happy with mine.
“Anyway, this track is not sui✱table for us. I guess it was just a really good Friday where we straightaway nailed the setup, and for them it took a while to settle in.
Red Bull teammate Alexander Albon recovered strongly from the pitlane following his qualifying crash to take fifth, keeping up his run of🐭 top-six finishes since his mid-season graduation from Toro Rosso.
“I’m happy after a tough Saturday,” Albon said.
“I think that was really the best we could have done. I think a little b𒆙it fortunate with the Safety Car and everything like that, but still, 🅠the pace was there, so I’m happy.
“I think coming from that Saturd🐲ay, it was good for the team and everyone to do a good job.”
Albon battled brake issues throughout the⭕ race which he fel🎃t slowed his progress through the field.
“I think this track, the way it’s designed, when you’re followi🎀ng in a train, it really feels a lot worse than other tracks because it’s almost like a tunnel system,” he explained.
“The air is stuck in one 🌟place, a little bit like a street track. The downforce loss was immense when you’re following.
“It just meant I couldn’t do those overtakes like I was used to at Spa and💦 Monza, and outbrake people.
“Once you’re just one driver by themselves th🧔at you could attack, it wasn’t a ꦜproblem.”
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⛦Lewis regularly attends Grands Prix for wuqian0821.com around♍ the world. Often reporting on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the stories of the people who matter in the sport.