Max Verstappen believes a failed attempt to make it to the end of the Australian Grand Prix on slick tires was still a risk worth taking as he was set to finish second regardless.
A late burst of rain led to the two leading McLaren drivers slide off the track in the final sector, with Oscar Piastri stuck on the grass for nearly an entire lap. Lando Norris was able to rejoin quickly and enter the pits, but Verstappen stayed out on slicks to lead for two laps before also stopping and dropping back behind the McLaren.
“We were on the medium (tire), and you never know how that’s going to work out, but I thought it was quite a sensible call with 15, 16, or 20 laps to go when the safety car came out,” Verstappen said. “Then it started to rain. I saw them go off in front of me, kept it clean, and when I saw Oscar rejoining, I thought, ‘Well, let’s stay out,’ because it was only those three corners. The rest was still dry.
“When I continued, basically, the first two sectors were fine – it was just if I could survive the final sector. I think that lap I did was OK. If there wasn’t much more rain coming, I thought it could work. You also have to factor in that even if they caught me on an inter, they’d have to box again for slicks, if it’s not going to rain anymore. So, it was fine.