Anything a driver can do at the wheel of an F1 car, Max Verstappen can do better. But Red Bull technical director Pierre Wache has noted over the years one “insane advantage” enjoyed by the three-time world champion over his rivals.
The Red Bull-Verstappen combo has been the dominant force in Grand Prix racing since the advent of the sport’s ground-effect technical regulations in 2022.
Together, team and driver have amassed a staggering 36 wins from the last 47 races, establishing themselves as one of F1's most formidable duos.
While the Milton Keynes-based outfit’s engineering excellence has produced two prevailing designs – the RB 19 and its record-breaking RB20 successor – and a third that appears equally commanding, Verstappen’s individual brilliance has been the perfect compliment to Red Bull’s pursuit of supremacy.
Verstappen’s talent is seemingly void of weak points, be they physical or mental. But Wache believes that the 26-year-old’s warp speed adaptability and capacity to hit the ground running on race weekends provide the team with massive benefits.
"He loves racing, has insane talent and feels the limit of the car perfectly,” explained Wache, talking to Dutch website RacingsNews365.
“Before I started working with him, I had never experienced a driver who was immediately on the limit on his first lap.
"That really gives him an insane advantage, especially since we are allowed to test so little these days. It's also an advantage for us when you have a driver who can immediately drive the car at the limit.
"That's because it gives you an advantage.
"This is because it gives you immediate insight into what you need to improve on the car. That's because you clearly know what the limit of the car is and therefore you know what you need to improve."
Indeed, while drivers might take time to find their rhythm on a new track, Verstappen is already on fire, putting himself in a strong position to dominate the race weekend.
Red Bull technical director Pierre Wache and Max Verstappen celebrate on the podium of the French GP in 2022.
Wache also underscored Verstappen’s continuous quest for improvement, in which he pushes himself and his team to achieve even greater success.
"Also, he is just as good at driving the car as the driver,” added Wache. “Like us, he is an engineer because he is constantly looking for opportunities to improve the car.
“Victory is not enough for him, he always wants more, just like the rest of the team. He doesn't rest after a victory so to speak, he keeps going.”
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