The move risked a sluggish start but would position him to capitalize on a potential Safety Car period. So we knew it was a race that could be dictated by when the Safety Car would come. “We sort of knew that, you know, we would drive to when the Safety Car comes. The Frenchman pointed to Verstappen’s qualifying performance in Baku as a sign that things were clicking. Of course, championships for the manufacturers are open now for second and third place.”Beyond the points race, Mekies sees the resurgence as also laying vital groundwork for next year.