Max Verstappen expresses unwavering trust in Red Bull’s bold innovations for their 2024 Formula 1 car, aiming for a fourth consecutive title amidst the team’s radical changes to maintain their dominance in the sport.
Max Verstappen has stated he had no concerns when informed that Red Bull would implement several innovations on their 2024 Formula 1 car.
Red Bull has dominated F1 since the return to ground-effect aerodynamics in 2022, culminating in the team’s victories in all but one race last season, retaining both championships with ease.
It was expected that the Austrian team would make conservative or risk-free improvements to their RB19, but it came as a surprise when the team unveiled a host of radical changes.
Verstappen Confident in Quest for Fourth
Verstappen, aiming for a fourth consecutive title in 2024, reiterated his full confidence in Red Bull’s development choices to remain at the top.
“I trust the team, to be honest, and to make the right decisions in terms of car development choices. I have, of course, seen how it was already a bit different at the end of last year. But honestly, I don’t care about the car’s appearance as long as it’s fast.”
“And also when I saw it for the first time, fully built, I thought ‘what does its shape matter, right?’ I mean, I’m going to sit in the car and once you get going, you quickly feel, you know, whether it feels totally normal or not.”
“Unfortunately, you know, our filming day at Silverstone was so wet that I couldn’t discern anything. But as soon as I jumped in the car here, it felt quite normal to me. Yes, it looks a bit different, but that’s the direction the team has chosen. And I believe it’s the best direction to take if they say so.”
“From my side now, it’s just about giving my feedback on the car’s balance, what I think could be improved. But that’s a continuous process with the car anyway.”
Verstappen Sees Potential in New Red Bull
When asked if he thought the current concept had more potential than its predecessor, Verstappen replied, “Well, the team thinks that with the current state of the car, there’s more potential to be found, I guess, so it’s up to us now to unlock it.”
Red Bull had promising tests, with Verstappen turning more than a second faster than his closest competitor on the first day in Bahrain. And things are still going well on this last day.
“I think, overall, it was a very good first day. I couldn’t really ask for more. In fact, I wished to do fewer laps! But no, I did a lot of laps. Everything went well. The balance was very good. We tried quite a few things on the car. It’s also important for me to understand how to move forward. And I finished the whole program without any issues. So for me, it was a very good day.”
“Checo had another good day yesterday and this morning it was also going well. It’s up to me to wrap up.”
The Dutchman emphasized that it didn’t take him long to adapt and get familiar with the RB20, stating he had no surprises from the car.
“We started with some normal aerodynamic tests. So you have a few laps to settle in and understand how it reacts. It’s not like you come out of the pits and you’re immediately at the limit. You also integrate little by little. But everything seemed totally normal, in line with what we were driving on the simulator.”
Verstappen: Grid Progress Challenges Red Bull
Although other teams claim Red Bull remains the benchmark, Verstappen highlights that the entire grid has also made a step forward with their cars.
“If it had been worse, we would have done a very bad job! So I’m sure the car is better than last year’s, but I think everyone on the grid has a better car than last year.”
Finally, Verstappen had a few words about the ongoing investigation into Christian Horner, which has been overshadowing his team’s news for two weeks.
“It’s not because I’m sitting here that I can talk about these things. So it’s better that I focus only on my own performance, as that’s already my daily job.”
“But I guess, of course, for everyone, it will be good when things are resolved. But that’s the only thing I can say about it.”
“Everyone here is focused on the car’s performance, as they should be. Everyone knows their role and everyone is very focused on trying to make our F1 faster.”
Verstappen Confident in Red Bull’s 2024 F1 Innovations. Verstappen Confident in Red Bull’s 2024 F1 Innovations
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