Red Bull refutes claims of tailoring its F1 car for Verstappen, emphasizing his unique ability to excel with a challenging balance.
Max Verstappen endures while his teammates stumble: the Red Bull Racing team must logically ask questions after yet another setback with Sergio Perez.
Since joining Red Bull in 2016, Verstappen has gradually learned and then surpassed Daniel Ricciardo as the team’s lead driver, with the Australian moving to Renault. Meanwhile, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, and more recently Sergio Perez, have all struggled against the Dutchman.
To the point that many claim Red Bull has developed a car for Verstappen or, at the very least, one highly tailored to the style of the four-time world champion.
However, Pierre Waché, the technical director, is adamant: Red Bull never intentionally designed an F1 car specifically for Max.
“It was not our intention to develop a car specifically for Max, but as a driver, he can handle a precarious balance, being less ‘connected,’ if you will, to his F1. To make a fast car, by definition, you go in that direction.”
“It’s always possible to create an understeering car, but it would be slower. Our job is to steer away from that and use the setup to make it faster. Max can manage that, and I think Alex Albon explained it very well recently.”
Waché highlights Verstappen’s adaptability to an unbalanced F1 car.
“A few years ago, during testing in Budapest, Max’s DRS didn’t close when he hit the brakes. Yet he didn’t leave the track while cornering—he simply mentioned that the rear felt light.”
“He has an ability to adapt and extract the best from what’s available that we haven’t seen in any of his teammates.”
The question remains whether Liam Lawson, promoted alongside him for 2025, can turn the tide…
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Verstappen Thrives on Precarious Balance – Says Red Bull Verstappen Thrives on Precarious Balance – Says Red Bull
