Max Verstappen said he put all his bad luck behind him with his determined drive to a crushing triumph for Red Bull in Sunday’s Mexican Grand Prix.
The 20-year-old Dutchman, who was demoted from a podium position at last weekend’s United States Grand Prix, dominated the race once he took the lead at the opening corner.
“I had my bad luck at the beginning of the year so I am very happy that this time nothing happened to me,” he said, after noting that Red Bull team-mate Australian Daniel Ricciardo and two other Renault powered drivers had been forced to retire.
“I knew the car was good but I didn’t know it was going to be this good,” he said, adding that he sensed a “light brush” with Sebastian Vettel’s Ferrari at the start.
“After last week, I was fired up and motivated to do well and after yesterday I was giving it everything.
“I missed out on pole, but I was determined to win this race. I gave it my all at the start and Turn One. I had a great slipstream and was able to get alongside him on the outside.
“I think we had a little touch, but from then onwards I could do my own race.”
Verstappen, who won his second race of the season and third of his career, added: “I could see a lot of cars blowing up and retiring so I was definitely a bit worried.
“We looked after our engine and everything seemed to work pretty well. I saw on the TV screen that Daniel (Ricciardo) had retired and I saw a Toro Rosso on fire.
“I thought ‘oh God, don’t make this happen to me’ so we turned the engine down.”
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