08 April,2022 09:00 AM IST | Melbourne | AFP
Max Verstappen
World champion Max Verstappen is eyeing a "smooth weekend" to build on his victory in Saudi Arabia, but is wary about a revamped Albert Park circuit as Formula One returns to Melbourne after a two-year hiatus.
The Red Bull driver, 24, was a relieved man after battling to a thrilling win ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in Jeddah last month. It was a satisfying triumph for Verstappen after Monaco's Leclerc clinched the season-opening grand prix in Bahrain where the Dutchman failed to finish.
The young rivals again shape as the men to beat in the third race of the year, with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton desperate for improvement from Mercedes on a track where he has taken eight poles, including the last six.
It will be a new experience for all drivers, with Albert Park undergoing its most significant modifications since first hosting a grand prix in 1996. A full resurfacing has taken place with seven corners modified and two removed, bringing the number of turns down to 14, providing more overtaking opportunities and lap times up to five seconds quicker than in the past.
"It will be interesting to see the track updates, I think they will make quite a big difference, especially in turn six where the most significant change has happened," said Verstappen, who is 20 points behind Leclerc in the drivers' standings.
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