Max Verstappen headed the protocol of the second session of free practice of the Japanese Grand Prix. The Red Bull Racing driver was three tenths faster than Charles Leclerc and said that the RB19 was once again a pleasure to drive.
Sergio Perez finished the training with the ninth time, losing just over a second to his teammate.
Max Verstappen (1st): “Good day. From the first lap the car was once again a pleasure to drive. Apparently, we are fast in the short and long series of laps. There is quite a lot of rubber degradation on this track, so the tires will have a hard time in the race. Overall a good start to the weekend.
Apparently, there is quite a tight fight behind me. Ferrari and McLaren are close enough that they need to be kept an eye on.
Today we focused on our own tasks and tried to optimize the machine settings. If we succeed, then I’m sure we’ll compete for pole.”
Sergio Perez: (9th): “In the first practice there were problems with the balance of the car, so we tried to improve it in the second. I believe the team understands in which direction it needs to move further.
The situation definitely looks better than last weekend, which is positive. I expect to qualify well tomorrow. Apparently, the degradation of rubber in the race will be severe, especially in high temperature conditions. I think we will have a strong performance tomorrow and Sunday.”
2023-09-22 08:33:00
#Max #Verstappen #tough #fight
