Red Bull already miles behind: Verstappen rues ‘unacceptable’ Australian GP retirement

Melbourne [Australia], April 10 (ANI): Max Verstappen retired from his second Grand Prix in three races in Melbourne, losing out on what he said would have been an “easy P2” behind eventual winner Charles Leclerc – with the Dutchman left unamused by his Australian Grand Prix stoppage.
Verstappen had qualified a disgruntled P2 on Saturday behind Leclerc, and looked set to finish in that position in Sunday’s race, having never really had the pace to threaten the Ferrari driver – who went on to win his second race of the season and extend his championship lead.
But then on Lap 39 of 58, Verstappen was forced to pull off the racetrack and into retirement, leaving the reigning champion – now P6 in the drivers’ standings, with just the 25 points for his Jeddah win – distinctly unimpressed.
When asked about the titles hopes, Verstappen replied as per formula1.com: “We’re already miles behind. I don’t even want to think about the championship fight at the moment. I think it’s more important to finish races.”
“Of course today was in general just a bad day again, just not really having the pace, I was just managing my tyres, trying to just bring it to the end because it looked like quite an easy P2 anyway.”
“I knew I could not fight Charles and there was no point to try and put pressure on him. But we didn’t even finish the race, so it’s pretty frustrating and unacceptable,” he added.
Charles Leclerc finished over 20 seconds clear of Red Bull Racing’s Sergio Perez and the third-placed Mercedes of George Russell. (ANI)