F1 Mastermind Opposes Max Verstappen’s ‘Wild’ Reputation with Red Bull

Max Verstappen is famous for his aggressive driving style and he even earned the nickname ‘Mad Max’ for that. However, the chief technical officer of the Red Bull Racing, Adrian Newey, disagrees with the claim of Verstappen being ‘wild’.

Newey rejects the wild image of Max and claims the reigning champion can get the most out of the car because of his understanding of the Austrian machinery.

Adrian shared, “What’s great about Max is you always know what the car’s capable of because he always gets in it and wrings its neck. His feedback is good, he’s very aware of what the tyres are doing and how to manage them. I think his reputation for being wild is unfair.”

But the Red Bull engineer also understands that Max earned this reputation because of his actions in some races. Newley revealed that Max’s performance in Brazil was questionable. Then the Dutchman brake-testing Lewis Hamilton in Saudi Arabia last season was out of frustration. He further reveals that Verstappen’s severe Silverstone crash was Hamilton’s fault.

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Newey further shared that Verstappen is one of the most comfortable to work with and is always open to suggestions. He said, “They brand an individual, and it takes time for that to go. He’s very easy to work with, very open. You ask him to do things, and he’ll always try.”

Max Verstappen isn’t as extreme as Sebastian Vettel

The Red Bull engineer revealed that Max Verstappen isn’t as detailed as other Red Bull drivers. He shares how the four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel was highly critical of his feedback. So, they used to have long debriefs while working with the German driver.

Seb used to go through various race videos and then talk to the engineers. Undoubtedly, Vettel’s critical feedback helped him win the world championship four times. However, it’s not the same with Verstappen, as he is not as extreme.

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The 24-year-old is having a lot of ups and downs in the 2022 season so far. He has already experienced two DNFs, and two race wins in the initial 4 races. He’s currently chasing to take the lead away from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Let’s see if the reigning champion can win the upcoming Miami GP in his fight to defend his title.