Jacques Villeneuve believes that freshly crowned F1 world champion Max Verstappen is the principal might within the team and driver combo at Red Bull, and one that is “unbeatable” according to the Canadian.
Save for an unexpected glitch in Singapore last month, Red Bull Racing has so far won every single round of the 2023 F1 World Championship, culminating in both the Constructors and Drivers’ titles being sealed by the Qatar Sprint race, marking a second consecutive championship double for the team.
But the team’s win record – with five races to go – is remarkably skewed towards Verstappen, a 14-time winner this season while teammate Sergio Perez has only two victories to his name this year.
While Red Bull’s RB 19 has been the class of the field this season, Villeneuve reckons that it is Verstappen rather than his car that has been the most crucial element in the mix.
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“It would be wrong to say that Red Bull is unbeatable,” Villeneuve told Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport. “Max is”.
"One has to remember that Mercedes was a second faster than the rest when they dominated. There was a fight at that time only because there was a conflict between Mercedes' drivers.
"Red Bull is not a second faster than the rest of the field. They struggle to grab pole positions and if they do it at all, it's by a tenth of a second."
©RedBull
In support of his assertion, Villeneuve points to Perez’s results and to the disparity that exists between the Mexican and Verstappen’s performances.
"Verstappen has taken the poles, not Perez,” added the 1997 F1 world champion. “The Mexican is much further back each time, which shows the level of the car.
“Verstappen is a beast. He won the titles in the last three years. His car was not the deciding factor.”
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