Verstappen wary of tyre wear as he eyes first F1 win of season

Sepang, Malaysia - Max Verstappen expressed concern on Thursday that heightened tyre wear could hinder his chances of securing his maiden Formula One victory of the season at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. The four-time world champion, aiming to claim a win before the season concludes, returned to Sepang where he triumphed in the 2017 Malaysian GP.

Verstappen, 29, emphasized his efforts to secure a podium while vowing his focus remains on winning, a goal he is inching closer to. Verstappen's performance at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix solidified Red Bull's position, with the Dutch driver finishing just 0.2 seconds behind Mercedes' George Russell. Despite Red Bull's superior scoring, Verstappen noted Mercedes' superiority, stating, "We're not outscoring Mercedes and they're actually the fastest."

The Dutch racer, who enjoys the track layout, highlighted the high tyre degradation and heat as challenges for Sepang. Red Bull's success in Baku was attributed to the track's distinctive features, but Verstappen believes Sepang's layout will favor Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes. Verstappen sees the Bahrain GP as a learning opportunity to determine how to optimize the car for the upcoming races, with the ultimate aim of clinching a championship win.