Gianpiero Lambiase was a surprise guest on the podium alongside Grand Prix winner Max Verstappen at the Singapore Grand Prix. The Red Bull Racing driver also realised that this could have been the last time the pair celebrated a Formula 1 victory together.
The race engineer will leave Red Bull Racing after this season. Today, he could join the Dutchman on the podium following his victory. Perhaps for the last time, with five Grands Prix still remaining this season. "I didn't expect him to go to the podium. So I was very happy that it was him," Verstappen told Viaplay. "This may well be the last time, yes. So in any case, this one has a very special meaning."
This happened after a race during which communication between the two was anything but smooth. Verstappen's team radio was not working properly, meaning Lambiase could give his driver instructions but could not hear a response. "They couldn't hear me at all. Luckily, I could hear them, but sometimes you obviously want to ask something or give certain information in return," Verstappen explained.
Nevertheless, the communication problem did not cause any major difficulties. After working together for years, Verstappen and Lambiase proved that they understood each other excellently even with issues. "Luckily, ninety percent of what GP said was also what I wanted to ask, so that was okay."
Verstappen compares Singapore to his dominant 2023 season
Verstappen won the Singapore Grand Prix for the first time, although he admitted that things got a little tense during the early stages. "Something went wrong again at the start, before the lights went out. Normally, you hear a certain sound that you need to hear at the start. The engine didn't make it. I thought: here we go again.
"Luckily, I got away reasonably well, but it once again wasn't how it should have been. So we need to look again at what went wrong there. After that, I squeezed Charles as much as possible, so he couldn't get past."
According to Verstappen, the start was just good enough. "Other than that, it was a perfect race. The pace was good. Especially on the soft tyres, it was really strong. The mediums were good too, actually, although Charles obviously got a sort of half-free pit stop. Then I had to push for a moment to make sure the gap didn't become too small, but everything was under control."
Asked whether the race reminded him of his dominant 2023 season, Verstappen added: "Almost, yes. It was simply a top weekend."
Verstappen hopes the ketchup bottle stays open
With his second consecutive Grand Prix victory, Verstappen appears to have found his winning touch again. On Viaplay, he was told that the ketchup bottle had finally been opened after a long time without a victory.
"Hopefully, it's a big bottle," Verstappen joked. "A very big bottle, but with a small opening. Then we'll have plenty of time to let it run empty."
Verstappen was not yet willing to say with certainty whether he can fight for victory again in the upcoming races. The Dutchman expects the competition not to stand still. "We'll have to wait and see, of course. I do think a few more teams will bring upgrades. But it feels good like this," Verstappen concluded.