Max takes two podiums during 'A Tribute To Motorsport Legends' at Oulton Park

Published on 18 April 2020 by Kees-Jan Koster

Max Verstappen finished both races of the online event ‘A Tribute to Motorsport Legends’ by 'Real Racers Never Quit by Team Redline' on the podium. At the 4.3-kilometre-long Oulton Park circuit, the Dutchman finished the race in P3 while starting from P10. During the second race Max finished in P2.

While the first round was driven on Silverstone, this time the race took place at the Oulton Park Circuit for the two races of the second and final round of ‘A Tribute To Motorsport Legends’. The race will be held on the international circuit, without chicanes. Again, all drivers will be in the Lotus 79. This F1 car dominantly won both Formula 1 championships in 1978. One of the participants today is again Robin Frijns.

Prior to qualifying Max says: “I expect it to go terrible. I do not know the track and will just try to do a couple of good laps.”

During qualifying each participant will have two laps to set a time. Max does not get any further than P10 on the circuit he never raced before. Daniel Juncadella is on pole and Londo Norris is in P14. The young Brit also never raced on this circuit.

From the rolling start in the first race, Max Verstappen gets away well and is in P8 after the first lap. In the second lap he overtakes Felipe Drugovich. In the lead is Juncadella engaged in a fierce battle with Kelvin van der Linde. The two of them hit each other, causing Juncadella to go off the track. Van der Linde can continue, and Max moves one place up into P6.

Max increases the pressure on Drugovich. The Aston Martin Red Bull Racing driver pulls the longest straw when Drugovich goes of the track. That brings Max into P5. Assisted by the many incidents on track, Robin Frijns also reaches the top ten. An incident involving Antonio Felix da Costa and Bent Viscaal causes Max to move up to P3.

After thirteen laps Van der Linde wins ahead of Jordan Pepper and Max in P3. Frijns finishes nineth, while Norris finishes way behind in P26.

Result round 2, race 1 - A Tribute To Motorsport Legends, Real Racers Never Quit by Team Redline

The result of the first race determines the starting positions for the second race. Because Max finished on the podium, he can start the second race from third position. At the start Max is able to stay in the same position and is involved in a fight with Pepper for P2. Viscaal is involved in a couple of incidents and falls back. Norris is also unlucky and is involved in a collision.

The top three is very close. Max is finally able to overtake Pepper after a breath-taking battle. That puts him into second position. Max is one and a half second behind Van der Linde. The Dutchman is not able to get closer to Van der Linde and has a safe margin to Pepper in P3. Frijns is in P13 outside of the top ten and Norris is way back in P20.

In the final phase of the race there are no changes in the top three, thus Van der Linde wins, Max in P2 and Pepper completes the podium. Viscaal finished in P7, Frijns in P13 and Norris in P19.

After the second race Max says: “It went better and better. I found out that it was better to stay in fourth gear instead of shifting to fifth. That gave me half a second, a lot more than I thought it would do. It is not what I want, being in P2 and P3, but it is still better than nothing. I did not know Oulton Park, but it is actually a really cool track. Especially with these cars as you have a lot of grip. These cars are great to drive.”

Result round 2, race 2 - A Tribute To Motorsport Legends, Real Racers Never Quit by Team Redline