Verstappen shuts down once and for all ‘car built for Max’ myth

Max Verstappen has moved to end speculation that Red Bull’s Formula 1 cars are designed specifically to suit his driving style, calling the idea a misconception that has persisted for far too long.

The Dutchman has dominated his Red Bull teammates since 2019, collecting 60 career wins and four world championships along the way.

Even during a challenging 2025 season for the team, Verstappen has still been a decisive factor – scoring 187 of Red Bull’s 194 points, leaving teammates Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda far behind.

This dominance has fuelled suggestions that Red Bull engineers create machinery tailored to Verstappen’s preferences. But according to the man himself, that simply isn’t the case.

Speaking to former Top Gear host Chris Harris on the Ford Performance YouTube channel, Verstappen says that rather than a car moulded around his driving style, he adapts to whatever package he is given – even if it isn’t his ideal setup.

“I just adapt to what I’ve got. It’s not what I like, it’s just what I have,” he said.

“So I have to try and drive to it because that’s the fastest way to go around the track, but it’s not what I personally would like. I’d like different bits of the car.”

Verstappen’s comments came during a joint filming session with Harris, where the two drove the newly launched Ford Mustang GTD.

The encounter gave Harris a chance to get to know a driver who often divides opinion in the UK — particularly after his intense and controversial 2021 title battle with Lewis Hamilton.

It has been a tough campaign for the reigning champion, now trailing McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by 97 points. Verstappen has also endured a few frosty receptions at the British Grands Prix, with boos greeting him in the past.

“Most people in the UK have got him wrong”

Harris used the experience to challenge perceptions about Verstappen’s personality.

“The thing you need to know about Max Verstappen is that most people in the UK have got him wrong, and that's why I suppose I'm proud of the film,” he said, speaking on the Chris Harris on Cars podcast.

“But I think we've not done a job in repositioning how people think about him that would be too cynical. What we've done is we let you see who he is, and frankly, he's one of us.

“He's a very, very uncomplicated man who happens to have been born with a set of skills to drive a racing car in a manner that none of us can really understand. And even more bizarrely, he's actually aware of his talent, and he's able, I think, to express what he's doing.

“He chooses not to completely in that film. But that's all part of the fun of the film, isn't it? He's not going to give away the secret sauce recipe, but I have to say, he was just super relaxed.

• Read also: Verstappen tells Red Bull not to give up: ‘Still a lot to learn this year’

“He was a total joy to work with. And I sound like I'm being an absolute sycophant here, but I tell you, if he wasn't, I'd tell you he was a dickhead, but he really wasn't.”

With Verstappen’s words, one of F1’s most widely repeated paddock theories has been firmly put to rest. His dominance, he insists, is not the product of a car crafted to his exact tastes, but the ability to master whatever is placed in his hands.

And if Harris’ impressions are anything to go by, the man behind the wheel may be far less complicated, and far more relatable, than many have assumed.

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