F1 News
Verstappen critical of Red Bull: 'Shame to give away weekends for free'
- Nicole Mulder
Max Verstappen is disappointed with his team Red Bull Racing due to their rear-wing error this weekend in Las Vegas. The Austrian team does not have a low-drag rear wing, as competitors do. Verstappen believes that by doing this, Red Bull is giving race weekends away to the teams around them for free, and commented on this in the paddock after qualifying.
Verstappen leans back, relaxed in his chair as he speaks to the Dutch press in Red Bull Racing's hospitality area. He is not satisfied, but composure prevails for the reigning world champion. After Monza, his team faces the same problem: the only rear wing at Red Bull's disposal is not working properly at the Las Vegas Street Circuit.
Verstappen critical with Red Bull: 'We're giving away free lap time'
The 27-year-old Dutchman explains why Red Bull does not have a smaller rear wing at its disposal, as other Formula 1 teams do. "That has to do with the cost cap because otherwise, of course, we would all have done that," Verstappen said in a conversation with GPblog and others.
"Only we have set other priorities, and now we might have to evaluate whether that should always be the case. Because in the end, you do give away free lap time in at least two race weekends a year," he adds. He estimates that the current rear wing is costing him at least two to three-tenths in lap time. Verstappen will start tomorrow's race from 5th place, whilst teammate Sergio Perez starts from 16th.
"You are actually giving away a bit of two weekends anyway. If you are a lot faster like we were last year, then, of course, it matters a bit less. But now we are obviously not fast enough, so then everything counts. It might be a shame to give away two weekends like that," concluded Verstappen.
The championship leader is well aware that the situation is the way it is and, therefore, knows there is little point in dwelling on it too much. "You can't change anything about it. So I can be disappointed or angry about it, but it's not going to change. So you just have to make the best of it," Verstappen concludes.
This article was written in collaboration with Toby Nixon
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