Red Bull: ‘Only natural’ Verstappen car preferences given priority

Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko insists it is “only natural” for Max Verstappen’s preference over car characteristics to be taken into account.

It is widely-accepted that the Dutchman likes a nervous, or pointy, front end to his F1 cars, something that his team-mates have often struggled to adapt to.

After Sergio Perez was sidelined by the Milton Keynes squad, the four-time F1 drivers’ champion will have, in Liam Lawson, a fourth different driver alongside him next year since Daniel Ricciardo left for Renault in 2019.

Pierre Gasly lasted six months, Alexander Albon just 18. Whilst Perez survived four seasons, he spent large parts of his tenure below par, including much of the past year and a half.

It has landed Verstappen the ‘team-mate killer’ tag. In the past, Albon has explained the “toll” being alongside the 27-year-old places on a driver, as well as how the six-time constructors’ champions build its cars around Verstappen’s “unique” preferences.

Even his own father, Jos, has argued Red Bull could do more to help his team-mates thrive, suggesting a more “neutral” car would be the appropriate course to take.

To Marko, however, the approach makes sense, given the dominance the 63-time grand prix winner has shown in F1 over recent years. He also underlined the team’s need to continue to deliver, if it is to keep Verstappen long term.

“We [Red Bull] have the fastest and best driver in the field in Max, it is only natural that we take his preferences into account when it comes to developing the car’s handling characteristics,” Marko wrote in Speedweek.

“I am sure that as long as we give him a competitive car, he will stay at Red Bull Racing.”

Marko anticipates the front of the field in F1 will remain extremely close next season, after the leading four teams won at least four grand prix each over the course of the 2024 campaign.

The 81-year-old believes that despite the added competition, Red Bull is “well positioned” to help Verstappen deliver a fifth-consecutive F1 drivers’ title, something that would match Michael Schumacher’s record run from 2000 to 2004.

“I am sure that we will be facing a close battle at the top next year,” the Austrian added. “That is normal in the last year of a regulation period.

“The field will be closer together. It is common practice in Formula 1 to copy successful concepts. And the longer the specifications remain stable, the more similar the cars will become. This automatically increases the level of performance.

“We will give it our all again next year. There will be some changes in the team, as there have been some departures.

“But we are well positioned and I believe that our team is capable of giving Max a car that will enable him to fight for the World Championship again.”