Sports Weekend: The first turning point in the season of Max Verstappen? – Nrc.nl

Max Verstappen’s Pastor Maldonado quickly three weeks ago in Bahrain. ANP EPA / Valdrin Xhemaj

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It’s time for the first major round of the year: the Giro d’Ialia. Today, present with twelve Dutch, starts the tough stage race with a team time trial. And this weekend after a break of three weeks off racing:. Max Verstappen

Verstappen at decisive point in debut year

More reliable and better. That characterization depended Renault Wednesday with crossed fingers at the oh-so needed update to the engine block of Max Verstappen. Because after a third failure turn in his first four grands prix French ignorance began even modest junior hanging from the throat.

We can call it weekend in Barcelona also called the first turning point in the season for the Dutchman.

• Three times DNF (did not finish) after the name Verstappen because of engine related problems. Three weeks for Renault to fix the mess. The French come in their own words to Barcelona to see “what all the hard work has produced”, knowing that the next break in the following season until August.
• The teams thus could come down after Bahrain . Time to analyze data and make the first major updates to the cars. For Max it is not only exciting or Renault, but even if his team Torro Rosso makes a step forward and plunges from the middle. The squad saw Lotus and Force India in Bahrain are already bigger steps.
• However, after the first two practice sessions yesterday, it seems that Torro Rosso this weekend has made progress and that while the future of Max there already rosier will look. The team will next month because only the largest package of updates and would then instead of a place in the middle consolidate may imagine a step toward that second tier.
• Where Verstappen is anyway not worse is job knowledge . Circuit de Catalunya means finally familiar ground. Where, in places like Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur had never raced this is the first job where he wanted kilometers

In terms of weather is it mustache weekend:. Sun and warm. The Circuit de Catalunya is home to an iconic F1 moment (directly during the first edition in 1991) and drama as drama in the final round in 2001 and 2012 from the extremely surprising edition of the Spanish grand prix anyway has a very eventful history

The GP of Spain today (qualification 14h) and tomorrow (14h race) live on RTL Germany.

Eight tough mountain stages

All eyes on Alberto Contador for the 98th edition of the Giro d’Italia. He wants to be all-important after last year’s crash in the Tour again not focus on only one big goal this year. Without competition from Vincenzo Nibali (winner Tour 2014 Giro 2013) and last year’s winner Nairo Quintana, the Spaniard led by Steven de Jongh top heavy favorite this Giro.

The threat comes on the first eye recently much talked about home rider Fabio Aru (Astana) and Quintana’s compatriot Rigoberto Urán (Quick-Step). Richie Porte (Sky) in addition is in excellent shape and has shown earlier in the Giro fine feet to.

Dutch then? Steven Kruijswijk is the frontman for Lotto-Jumbo which Moreno Hofland sent forward for sprint arrivals. In total twelve countrymen begin today at the team time trial, including Tom Jelte Slagter (Cannondale) and Boy van Poppel (Trek). The first mountains stand Wednesday already on the program, queens rides on the last weekend.

Sporza sends the Giro live every day.

And further …

• NBA playoffs are in the second phase, say the quarterfinals. And it’s close. Today and tomorrow four games.
• Robert Gesink goes tomorrow in the Tour of California as a leader from start to Lotto Jumbo. He loves that one-week course:. In 2007 and ’08 young rider, three years ago, the victory in preparation for the Tour
• The league continues with the tradition full program on Sunday during the last and penultimate round. Tomorrow, in any event Feyenoord Vitesse in the battle for three spot

Read more about this.

Sports Weekend