Red Bull’s former junior driver, Jaime Alguersuari, believes that while Max Verstappen may consistently take the top spot on the podium, the true star of the team is their design genius, Adrian Newey.
In this year’s championship, featuring ground effect aerodynamic cars, Newey’s RB19 has dominated the competition, securing an impressive 10 consecutive wins, and there are concerns among rivals about a potential 22-0 whitewash by the time they reach Abu Dhabi.
Red Bull’s dominance is evident in the Constructors’ Championship, where they have amassed a staggering 411 points, more than double the second-placed Mercedes’ 203 points.
Additionally, Verstappen holds a commanding lead of 99 points over his teammate, Sergio Perez.
While Verstappen has led Red Bull’s charge with eight victories in ten races, Alguersuari argues that it is Adrian Newey who truly deserves recognition for his outstanding contributions to the team’s success.
“It’s Newey,” he said in an interview with Spanish daily AS. “It’s incredible that this brilliant man is still making such perfect cars.”
While praising Adrian Newey’s role in Red Bull’s success, Jaime Alguersuari is keen to emphasize that the team’s achievements are not solely attributed to one individual.
He highlights the collective effort of the entire team, which has propelled them towards their third successive Drivers’ title and their second double.
“In any case I would say that it’s not just him, but the team, in all its areas,” the 33-year-old added. “Red Bull is the best team in the history of Formula 1 because they do not make mistakes and there are no cracks in their structure and approaches.
“Everything fits. They never make mistakes. They nail the strategies, the tyre changes… the Red Bull mechanics are also the best in the paddock. Building a winning team is essential. It’s not just about making a great car.”
Speaking about the team’s dominance, the former driver said: “This already happened at the time with Schumacher and with Vettel and Hamilton later. Here the one with the best car wins and it will always be like that. What also happens is that the best car is usually driven by the best driver.
Which raises the question of whether Verstappen is a better driver than Lewis Hamilton or even Fernando Alonso.
“It’s difficult to say that but I repeat that the best driver usually drives the most dominant car because everything is going very well, the motivation is higher, things work out on their own, the confidence is enormous… that’s what’s happening with Max in this moment. Everything flows easy.”
Despite Red Bull’s present supremacy, Jaime Alguersuari believes there is still hope for their competitors in the forthcoming season. According to him, the cost cap and wind tunnel hours restrictions will have a substantial impact on Red Bull’s performance.
He is confident that the squad will face new hurdles in the coming year, making it more difficult for them to sustain their current level of performance.
“I don’t know if they will win again next year, but if they do, it won’t be as easy as this year, that’s for sure.”
