Max Verstappen had strong words to say when questioned about the idea that Red Bull’s 2023 car design is unfavourable to Sergio Perez’s driving abilities.
Toto Wolff, the team principal for Mercedes, recently observed at Zandvoort that the considerable pace difference between Perez and his Red Bull teammate Verstappen is “bizarre”. Wolff hypothesized that the car’s development, influenced by Verstappen’s feedback, might be challenging for Perez to handle.
“I think you sometimes get some upgrades to the car that adapt easier to your driving style than others, you know,” Perez agreed at Monza on Thursday.
When confronted with a similar query by a journalist at Monza, however, Verstappen was not mincing words.
“These are bullshit comments,” he is quoted as saying by the German media.
“I always tell my guys to just build the fastest car possible. People always ask me what my driving style is, but I always just adapt to what the car needs to be fast.
“I don’t say ‘design the car so that I can feel the front more’ or something. I guess that’s one of my strengths – being able to adapt to the characteristics of the car,” the Dutchman elaborated.
The 25-year-old Verstappen also commented on the significant news of Lewis Hamilton, his 2021 title rival, signing a renewed two-year contract with Mercedes.
“It’s good for the sport, for himself and good for Mercedes,” he said.
Speculation is rife about whether Mercedes made a prudent decision in renewing the contract with Hamilton, who will be 40 by the time the contract concludes.
Fernando Alonso, at 42, however, dismissed such concerns.
“If I was a team boss and I had to choose between Hamilton or the youngest on the grid, or a promising driver from F2, I would stay with Hamilton until he is 80 years old,” said the Spaniard.
“Someone would have to show that he can go faster than Hamilton with the same car, and no one has been able to do it.”
