Max Verstappen believes multiple upcoming races offer the chance of victory following troubles in Spa and Monza.
Having been the in-form driver heading into the summer break, the Dutchman has scored just four points over the past two weekends following his first 2019 retirement in Belgium and a grid penalty in Italy.
But with the pair of high-speed circuits always unlikely to suit his Red Bull, Verstappen admits expectations are now higher going forward.
“It’s always difficult to say,” he admitted on the most likely victory chances, “Before I got to Austria I thought that it’s going to be difficult and then you win the race.
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“Of course a track like Monza is not, but I think actually, the other ones that are coming up are not too bad for us.
“Maybe Austin will be a bit tricky still but possible, also Brazil will be a bit harder, but you go to Suzuka and you need a bit of downforce, of course, there are long straights but still, the car needs grip in the first sector.
“Hopefully that will be a good one for us. Singapore should be a good one, Mexico, for sure it is good, but again, the top speed of Ferrari will be really tough to beat there. We’ll see.”
There is an increased focus on the Japanese GP with this the first year of their engine partnership with Honda and it is even thought Verstappen could take another engine and subsequent grid penalty in Sochi to increase his chances for success.
“I think they really want to show something in Japan,” Max’s father Jos said to Ziggo Sport. “We can get a lot out of it. I think there will be another engine change this season. There are still races to come where we can really perform.”
Verstappen has claimed three straight podiums at Suzuka but Mercedes is unbeaten there since 2014.