Max Verstappen believes attempting to finish the Australian Grand Prix on slick tires during late rain was a calculated risk, given he would have finished second regardless of his strategy.

The dramatic finish unfolded when rain hit the final sector, causing both McLaren drivers to slide off track. While Oscar Piastri was stranded on grass and Lando Norris quickly pitted, Verstappen opted to stay out and lead for two laps before eventually switching to intermediates.

"With 15-20 laps remaining under safety car, switching to mediums seemed sensible," Verstappen explained. "When it started raining, I kept it clean after seeing them go off. Since only three corners were wet and the rest dry, I decided to stay out when Oscar rejoined."

The defending champion noted that his strategy could have paid off if the rain hadn't intensified. "The first two sectors were fine initially. Even if they caught me on intermediates, they'd need to pit again for slicks if the rain stopped. Unfortunately, the rain increased in Sector 2 on the next lap, forcing us to pit."

Verstappen emphasized that the outcome would have been the same regardless: "Whether I pitted with Lando, the next lap, or when I did, it would've been P2. We tried something different that might have worked, but we didn't lose anything."

Despite pushing Norris after the final safety car, Verstappen acknowledged McLaren's superior pace: "We're good compared to those behind us, but in the first stint, we were significantly off. Once tire overheating began, McLaren just pulled away. We still need substantial improvements to fight for wins, but I'm satisfied with second place – one position better than expected and 18 points more than last year's race here."

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