An 11th place finish in Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix support race was a good result for the Surrey teenager after hydraulic failure during practice robbed him of vital track time………

Max put together an intelligent and determined drive in the sprint race, elevating himself from his 17th place on the grid to bring his Ocean Racing Technology car home in 11th place.

His performance was a welcome boost after practice and qualifying were both affected by a lack of track time in the already restrictive GP2 schedule. The hydraulic system failed almost immediately in the only practice session on Friday and this together with changeable weather conditions meant Max really only faced the daunting Spa circuit in the dry for the first time at the start of the race.

He had managed to qualify 17th out of the 24 entries, but had to take avoiding action at the start of the first race on Saturday. His caution prevented him being caught up in the first lap mayhem, but dropped him down the order. He had to come to terms with the demanding nature of the Spa track through the race and the team gambled on a pit stop for wet tyres when the conditions suddenly changed. The heavy rain didn’t materialise though so any advantage was lost and Max crossed the line in 17th place.

Sunday’s race was more settled in terms of the weather, the whole race being held in dry conditions, but with several safety car periods to contend with. Max drove sensibly early on to avoid the mistakes that so many other drivers were making and then in the final stages pushed hard and managed to hang on to a well deserved 11th place, keeping the hard-charging ART driver Sam Bird behind him for the last couple of laps.

It had been a trying weekend and by Sunday afternoon Max felt he had performed as well as he could given the limitations he had to contend with;

“In the end I feel I’ve got to grips with this place,” he said afterwards, “It’s not like anywhere else we race at and the weather conditions this weekend have been a real challenge. It really didn’t help losing most of the practice session because of a problem with the car and it wasn’t until Sunday’s race that I felt happy with the track and the set-up and could really push. I feel I’ve got to put it down as a learning experience and come back here next year knowing what’s needed.”

The final European rounds of the GP2 Championship are at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in two weeks time. Max knows the ultra high speed venue well having taken pole position there on his last visit with the Formula 3 championship back in 2008. Whilst it may be an optimistic aim to repeat that success in this, his first season in GP2, Max will want to perform well at a circuit he knows and likes.