Max Verstappen admits Red Bull faces a pivotal year as rivals ramp up their challenge, demanding a vigorous response.
Max Verstappen acknowledges that Red Bull is at a crossroads this year, and even more so next year. The competition has sharpened its arsenal, and the Milton Keynes-based team must redouble its efforts to compete with McLaren F1, Ferrari, and Mercedes.
“You can always say that, but I don’t like to think like that because when you’re the winning team, you need to push even harder,” he told Formula HU. “That should be the mentality. But that’s how it goes. The people chasing you have this appetite, this desire to try to beat you, and they’ve done a good job, and now it’s up to us to respond.”
The Dutch driver notes that the situation with Red Bull and its RB20 is not improving: “At first, you might say that some elements were track-specific, but I think now, lately, you can clearly see that no matter what type of track we go to, it’s tough for us.”
“I would say that in the last few races, we were no longer the fastest. So it has been a bit more difficult. Others have also done a very good job in terms of performance with the car, but at the same time, we have still increased our lead in the drivers’ standings.”
“And we are still at the top of the constructors’ standings, so it’s not so bad. But we need to try to find more performance with the car to bounce back a bit and try to be at the front of the competition again,” continues Verstappen, who admits he must reinvent himself in the face of adversity.
“It’s difficult, I won’t lie. Of course, I always try to give my best. I try to optimize every weekend, because if I have a good car, it makes my life a little easier, and probably the team’s too. But that’s not how it is right now.”
“So we really have to fight for every position, but that’s alright. It’s a good thing in a way, as it keeps everyone on their toes. We just need to try and improve a bit more, try to get back that momentum, to be really competitive. And yes, it’s an exciting time.”
“Unrealistic” to hope for a repeat of 2023
With 19 wins to his name and 21 for Red Bull in 2023, the triple world champion knew this year would not be as spectacular: “I really enjoyed last year, but I also knew we would never have another season like that.”
“It’s not realistic to expect another year as competitive, so I’ve always prepared for these sorts of things. Of course, I would have hoped for a bit more of an edge, but that’s how it is.”
However, he is thrilled to be competing against drivers he has known since childhood: “Now, we are fighting with many more drivers, but you always know that each driver has their own way of driving. It’s the same in all sports, I think.”
“Everyone is not the same in their way of handling things, but that’s just fine. I grew up with many drivers, so it’s quite fun to be battling with people your own age that you’ve known since karting.”
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Verstappen: Red Bull Faces Crucial Test Against Rivals Verstappen: Red Bull Faces Crucial Test Against Rivals
