Verstappen: Our car is more versatile

In an interview with Auto Motor und Sport, Max Verstappen spoke about last season…

Question: Did you dominate last year because Red Bull Racing took a big step forward, or did your opponents perform below their capabilities?
Max Verstappen: Maybe our opponents haven’t made a big step, but we have improved a bit. Changes in regulations forced everyone to change the bottom design, which led to a decrease in the efficiency of the machines. Other teams had more problems with this than us.

One of the main advantages of our machine is its versatility. Other teams’ cars may be fast on some tracks but inferior on others. Our car is competitive almost everywhere and is tire efficient.

Q: Last year your team won all but one race. How big is the contribution of the car, how big is the contribution of the driver?
Max Verstappen: In any case, you need a car that works effectively with spaced tires. Otherwise you are doomed. This can be seen in the Haas F1. Nico and Kevin are good drivers, but if the car overloads the tires, you can’t do anything. To succeed you first need a foundation: a good car. And as a driver you can gain one to two tenths on a lap if you pay more attention to the tires.

Question: In qualifying, Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris were sometimes able to force a fight on you. Why is the Red Bull car not that fast on fresh tires?
Max Verstappen: New tires hide some of the car’s shortcomings. You can set up the car completely differently for qualifying than for the long distance. Maybe this is why we are so good in the race, especially at the start with full tanks. Some people consciously choose an aggressive approach, but our machine is more versatile.

Q: Based on the results of the first four stages, you and Sergio Perez won two races each, but after Miami only you won. What is the reason?
Max Verstappen: All factors must be taken into account. In Saudi Arabia I had to start 15th. A safety car intervened in Baku. Talking about equality is not entirely fair. From my point of view everything was wrong. He was closer, but we have to take into account all the circumstances that led to that.

Question: In Baku you found something that helped you in the race. What was it?
Max Verstappen: There are many settings for which it is important to find the optimal combination. Brake balance, differential, engine braking. Working with these tools and their different combinations has allowed me to get more out of the car.

Q: On ground effect cars the gap between teammates has increased. Are these cars more difficult to drive?
Max Verstappen: I liked the previous generation cars better. They were slightly lighter and more maneuverable. New tires have a stiffer sidewall and it is not always possible to control sliding. Overall it became more difficult to complete a perfect lap.

Q: Who do you consider the toughest teammate?
Max Verstappen: Of the current racers? Do not know. It’s different for different cars. It’s hard for me to name just one, there are a lot of good riders now.

Q: Who would you choose to lead the team?
Max Verstappen: Myself and Lando Norris. He is young and has a long career ahead of him. And he can be very, very fast.

If I had to choose two pilots, I would take Lando and Oscar. Both from McLaren. Both are good. Lando is a little older, but Oscar is a fast rookie. He still has a lot to learn and can improve his race pace. But he’s a smart guy and he’ll win his races.

Question: The FIA ​​president thinks Formula 1 should have fewer races and more teams. What is your opinion?
Max Verstappen: There should definitely be fewer races. There are too many for me now. But it’s not up to us to decide. Not even the FIA. But I have always advocated fewer races and higher quality. What about the teams? Only if they are of good quality and not just filling the starting field.

Question: You actively criticize the Grand Prix format with the Saturday sprint. But you understand that Formula 1 organizes them to earn more money, which in turn benefits the teams?
Max Verstappen: I’ve always said that from a business point of view everything is clear here. But I look at the situation as a racer. Sprint stages take some of the magic out of Formula 1.

As a child, I would turn on the TV and wait anxiously to see what would happen during the race. As a fan you don’t have all the inside information about tire degradation or something like that. You see cars from Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari on the grid and you wonder how it will end. With a sprint race you know in advance what will happen the next day if nothing unexpected happens. For example, the weather will not change. Usually after the sprint you can judge the pace of the race. This takes the intrigue out of what is happening.

The format as a whole is strange. I don’t mind if there is only one practice before qualifying. But why a separate qualification for the sprint? We have already qualified for the race. In the sprint the winner receives only eight points. The difference with the second or third is small. The outcome of the sprint doesn’t really matter.