'Decent starting point' for Verstappen

MELBOURNE: World champion Max Verstappen said his second place at the Australian Grand Prix Sunday was “a decent starting point” for the season, but admitted Red Bull still had work to do.

The Dutchman, who is bidding to win a fifth straight drivers´ championship to match Michael Schumacher, was fortunate to stay in the hunt in Melbourne. An uncharacteristic error on lap 18 while in second saw him fall behind the McLarens of eventual winner Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. But a series of accidents on a wet day saw the safety car repeatedly deployed and he found himself back in the hunt, ultimately losing by less than a second.

“It was a difficult race but at the end it was fun,” he said. “I got close but it´s very hard to pass around here. “But it was fun those last laps, pushing at least when you are fighting for the win. I´m just very happy to bring it home, score good points, and this is a decent starting point for us.” Verstappen complained of grip issues during practice, but the early teething problems appear to have been sorted out.