Toto Wolff commends "flawless" Red Bull strategy after blistering Max Verstappen pole

Verstappen, Red Bull, Abu Dhabi — Photo: © LAT Images

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Wolff commends "flawless" Red Bull strategy after blistering Verstappen pole

Verstappen was given a tow by team-mate Perez

Ewan Gale

Saturday 11 December 2021 16:35

Mercedes team principal commended Red Bull's "flawless" use of the slipstream during qualifying after Max Verstappen took a sensational pole position in Abu Dhabi.

Despite trailing Hamilton for the majority of the weekend, Verstappen stunned the Silver Arrows with a lap almost four-tenths faster than the seven-time world champion to take the advantage into the season-defining race at Yas Marina.

"You have to take it like it is, it is one-zero for them today," Wolff told Sky Sports F1.

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"They got the tyres in the perfect window in the last run, the tow functioned flawlessly and that is why they are on pole.

"I am also worried for tomorrow because their long runs were much better on Friday. Our tyres were just not in the window, theirs were.

"You can see Q1 and Q2 were ours, it looked like a pretty easy run and then suddenly you lose all the performance."

A flicker of hope was offered to Mercedes and Hamilton when Verstappen flat-spotting his medium tyres in Q2, forcing a switch to the soft tyres with which both Red Bull drivers will start the race.

With Hamilton on the more favourable mediums, Wolff senses a potential strategic opportunity to recover from the disappointment of qualifying.

"Yeah, I would much rather be starting on the medium, from P2," he insisted.

"We will have a slight disadvantage from the start, I guess but after six or seven laps, if he drivers fast - if he manages then it is not a big advantage - and we can go longer.

"We can go for an aggressive undercut also and try to control track position so overnight, we will be running lots of programmes and algorithms to see where it ends."