Verstappen: We have taken a step forward in working with the settings

      Max Verstappen is very happy to have won his second victory this season, and after finishing the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, he commented on the main results of the weekend, which was so successful for him.

      Question: Max, congratulations, you led the race perfectly, and Oscar Piastri's overtaking in turn 1 was great! After that, you didn't look back.…Max Verstappen: Yes, I didn't get off in the best way, but then, fortunately, everything turned out very well. Of course, I was glad to be in the lead, although I wasn't quite sure how fast we would be, because I was also in the lead in Miami, but our car didn't have much pace there.

      Anyway, right now I was just trying to keep a good rhythm. I really think that the car was already working better, it was easier to control its behavior on long series of laps, and that helped me. Although it was necessary to work with the rubber more carefully than usual.

      So yes, in general I am surprised, but, of course, I am pleased that we were able to show such a result. Hopefully, we will be able to demonstrate this speed more often.

      Q: Can you explain in more detail how you performed on the first lap, especially in turn 1, when you took the lead? You said that you didn't get off in the best way, but at what point did you realize that everything had worked out?Max Verstappen: I think I managed to slow down late and enter the apex at a higher speed. Then, at some point before turn 3, I finally took over the initiative, after which I already knew that I was ahead. But everything happened very quickly. And, of course, it was necessary to pilot very precisely, so as not to move too much off the trajectory. All in all, fortunately, there was a good grip on the edge of the track.

      Question: Were there any difficulties after that?Max Verstappen: The track is very rough, so my back is hurting right now.

      Q: You made a pit stop when the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) mode was introduced on lap 29. How long do you think you could have stayed on the track on that set of Medium tires?Max Verstappen: Not too long. I mean, the tires were wearing out more and more, so it was already difficult to keep a steady pace in the last few laps before the pit stop.

      Q: Was it possible to complete the race distance with a single pit stop?Max Verstappen: Of course it was. I mean, that's why we stayed on the track for so long. I think Lando and I could have made only one stop in the pits.

      Question: As you have already said, you hope that the machine will continue to work as efficiently in the future. How sure are you about this? Do you think the highway in Imola was suitable for RB21? And what can you expect from a weekend in Monaco?Max Verstappen: You see, there are quite a lot of high-speed corners on the Imola track that suit our car. I also believe that we have made a step forward in working with the settings. Of course, the track in Monaco is completely different, so let's see how we perform there.

      If you remember, we had a lot of difficulties there last year. I don't expect it to be much easier this time, because the speeds there are mostly quite low. But this is the only race like this on the calendar, and there will be many more races after it. But this trend is quite clearly visible: on high-speed roads with fast turns, we perform more competitively.

      Q: Do you think you can compete with McLaren for the championship with this car?Max Verstappen: I believe that the effectiveness of the RB21 varies greatly from highway to highway. She handles high-speed tracks with fast turns better, so we still have a lot to work on.

      Of course, we introduced a number of technical innovations this weekend, and I think they worked. If we had difficulties on Friday, then by Saturday we found the best approach to the settings. However, that was the case on this particular track. I'm not sure about Monaco, although I like racing there, even if it's not the most convenient track for us.

      And then we'll go to Barcelona: usually, when there are a lot of fast turns on the track, it suits us very well. In addition, there is a strong degradation of rubber, so it is also important to find the right approach to working with tires. Of course, I don't know how things will turn out for us there yet, but we're very happy right now.

      Q: You have already won four times at Imola, but this circuit is likely to be excluded from the Formula 1 calendar. The same fate awaits Barcelona and Zandfort, and there is no certainty about Spa that it will remain. All these tracks are among your favorites. What can you say about this?Max Verstappen: I don't know. I mean, I like racing there, but in the end we still race where we're offered.… Of course, I like the Imola circuit, but to win here, you need your car to be really efficient.

      It will be a pity if we lose these tracks. Of course, if you look at it from the perspective of Formula 1, then new race tracks are emerging, and now we will compete on them. In general, there is a sporting side to the matter, but there is a financial side, wouldn't you agree? So I understand the arguments that we need to take care of business development and increase the popularity of the championship.

      Of course, when I say that I love racing, I mean the classic tracks, because it is because of them that I became interested in motorsport. Even in karting it was the same, because even there some tracks stand out from the general background.

      The history of Formula 1 is connected with certain tracks, they are all special, and there you experience stronger emotions. So, of course, I personally regret that they disappear from the calendar, but what can I do in this regard?..