MX23RW : Monday, November 25 04:57:27| >> :120:69243:69243:

'Huge relief' Dutch GP pressure over - Verstappen

'Huge relief' Dutch GP pressure over - Verstappen
© Reuters
Max Verstappen admitted he is relieved his home grand prix at Zandvoort is now behind him.

Max Verstappen admitted he is relieved his home grand prix at Zandvoort is now behind him.

The Dutchman said he enjoyed the fanaticism of the orange-clad crowd last weekend, where he duly responded to the pressure with pole, the win, and his return to the top of the world championship.

"Everyone expected me to win," he said at Monza. "Anything else would have been a disappointment.

"So it was a huge relief when I saw the chequered flag. As nice as the experience was, I don't need it too often in a year."

Monza, however, could be a different experience, with Mercedes traditionally better than Red Bull on all-out 'engine power' circuits.

"But this year we are stronger on every type of track compared to the past," Verstappen insisted.

"I expect the same at Monza and I hope we've done our homework. But I'm sure it won't be just like Zandvoort."

Championship challenger Lewis Hamilton is hopeful the predictions are correct that his Mercedes is quicker for the Italian GP.

"The lower the downforce, the better we are," he said.

"But there have been a few races this year where Red Bull overtook us on the straights. I think it will be a close race between us here too."

ID:463051:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect1691:

Click here for more stories about Max Verstappen

Click here for more stories about Red Bull

Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton pictured on August 29, 2021
Read Next:
Hamilton, Mercedes dominant for 'too long' - Stewart
>
rhs 2.0


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!