Verstappen 'Ready' For Baku With Priority To Get 'Form Back To Where It Needs To Be'

Wednesday, 11 September 2024 at 16:00

Red Bull Racing F1 driver Max Verstappen previewed the upcoming 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which will take place in Baku this weekend.

The 17th round of the 2024 season at Baku City Circuit might be the last time this year when Red Bull comes to a race leading in both Championships.

The team has struggled during the last couple of Grand Prix weekends, and as a consequence, McLaren has been catching up with them quickly.

Red Bull leads McLaren in the Constructors' Championship only by eight points coming to Baku, so this might turn out to be a crucial weekend for the team from Milton Keynes. Max Verstappen said through his website ahead of the weekend:

"I have been back in the factory with the team this week and on the sim ahead of the double header. Monza was a tough race, and it is our priority to get our form back to where it needs to be."

"We always want to be more competitive and the team has been working hard to improve the issues we have been seeing with the car from the past few races."

Max Verstappen with Sergio Perez and Red Bull's Head of Electronics Paul Everington, standing next to each other on the podium after the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Paul Everington, Sergio Perez, and Max Verstappen on the podium after the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Following the Italian Grand Prix, Verstappen suggested Red Bull would lose both Championships if they didn't find improvements immediately.

The 26-year-old F1 driver also said his team needed to change everything about their car before Baku. If the Austrian team has the fourth-fastest car in Azerbaijan as well, Verstappen will be in big trouble in the Drivers' Championship.

On the other hand, Baku City Circuit is a track that has suited Red Bull in the last couple of years (3 consecutive victories since 2021), so everyone within the team will be hoping for a better performance this weekend. Verstappen added:

"We are now back to the flyaways with this first race returning to Baku. It is always a good challenge coming here and is an interesting track to drive, being a street circuit with long straights, so we are ready to get back racing again and see what the weekend brings."