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Forward within the championship, however Max Verstappen says Pink Bull have to hit again towards an improved Mercedes; Group boss Christian Horner additionally frightened about championship leaders’ large straight-line pace benefit
By Matt Morlidge
Final Up to date: 11/10/21 2:27pm
Max Verstappen says Pink Bull need to “step it up” over F1 2021’s closing six races if they’ll beat Mercedes to the titles, with driver and crew significantly involved about their rivals’ straight-line pace.
Verstappen has moved again forward of Lewis Hamilton within the championship after the Turkish GP however Sunday’s race was one other the place Pink Bull had been no match for Mercedes, with Verstappen a distant second.
The Dutchman, who holds a slender six-point title benefit and appeared to have the quickest automobile by the primary half of the season, was additionally off the tempo in comparison with the Silver Arrows in Monza and Sochi.
“In fact total I believe now we have been at tracks that naturally had been a bit higher for Mercedes however then this observe was a bit unknown and clearly they had been forward of us,” admitted Verstappen to Sky F1 at Istanbul Park.
“I do assume we have to step it up a bit to be within the struggle till the tip of the season.”
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Martin Brundle believes Lewis Hamilton ‘made a mistake’ by disagreeing together with his Mercedes crew over technique on the Turkish Grand Prix
A lot of Mercedes’ benefit in latest races has been on the straights regardless of Honda’s enhancements over 2021.
“The straight-line pace of Lewis was 15 to 20kmh up after the kink on the straight, which is phenomenal,” stated crew boss Christian Horner, who additionally informed reporters he was “stunned” by Mercedes’ latest tempo.
Pink Bull just lately raised questions on their rivals’ engine to the FIA, though these seem to have been knocked again. Mercedes additionally insist nothing has modified on their newest Energy Unit, which Hamilton debuted in Turkey.
“If you’ve bought straight-line pace that is larger than with a DRS open, that is fairly spectacular,” stated Horner. “It is right down to the FIA to proceed to take a look at these items.”
Verstappen in the meantime maintained that Mercedes have had a pace edge for “a lot of the season”.
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Max Verstappen needs he had a bit extra tempo total however felt it was an amazing consequence for the crew in Turkey
“In fact they’ve sorted their automobile out so it’s kind of extra apparent that high pace they’ve,” added Verstappen. “There’s not a lot we will do.
“It is what now we have to stay with, it isn’t going to magically disappear however after all we’ll attempt to minimise the harm on the straights.”
With Verstappen and Sergio Perez on the rostrum on Sunday, Pink Bull narrowed Mercedes’ constructors’ title lead barely, to 36 factors.
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