Max Verstappen retired in Australia not because of reliability issues, but because his team made human error with the brakes, says Kees van de Grent. According to the former Formula 1 tire expert and Ferrari man, this explains the anger among the three-time world champion.
Max Verstappen qualified from pole position for the Australian Grand Prix and initially looked set to take his third straight win of the season after a good start. However, the race Down Under was quickly forgotten for the 26-year-old Dutchman. Verstappen was overtaken by Carlos Sainz on the second lap, and shortly after smoke appeared from the back of his RB20. For example, the curtain came down on the Limburger at Albert Park after just a few laps.
Verstappen failed in Australia
This was the first time since the 2022 Australian Grand Prix that Verstappen had failed to reach the finish line, but the reason behind the problem remains somewhat of a mystery. The problem was clearly with the right rear brake caliper, but it's not clear what exactly went wrong. Verstappen was visibly angry as he exited the cockpit, but shortly afterwards calmed down in front of the camera. He said it was like riding with the handbrake on, but it was inevitable to pull out again after the long finish line.
human error
There is debate in the media about whether Red Bull Racing's RB20 car had reliability issues surrounding its braking system, or whether human error occurred in Melbourne. However, according to Kees van de Grent, there is no doubt: “It's very clear, Max knows what happened,” it appears on Viaplay. Slip current. There was simply an error, human error. He wasn't unlucky. “Yes, he was unlucky to fail, but it's not like something broke while driving.”
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The former CEO of tire supplier Bridgestone continues: “It had gone wrong here before time, and he knew it. He was very angry about it. And it shows… Three-time world champion, he won 51 races in Formula 1, and if there was once a Very little fuel in the tank, and now, too, he's going crazy. Another driver would say, 'Pack up the plane and go home.' He didn't, and it was very clear.
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