Verstappen does not contradict Red Bull chief: 'RB19 good in every area'

Red Bull Racing chief Pierre Waché recently stated that his team's Formula 1 car does not necessarily excel in any one area, but is "reasonably good in all areas". According to Max Verstappen, the RB19 race car is indeed strong in every area, but the driving style is also important, according to the world champion.

During Thursday's press conference in Singapore, Verstappen">Max Verstappen was asked about the strength of the RB19 Formula 1 race car. This question was in response to earlier statements by Pierre Waché, in which he stated that the RB19 did not really excel at anything. Instead, according to Waché, the RB19's strength is that the car is "reasonably good" in every area. Max Verstappen, when asked, said, "I mean I wouldn't go against my technical director. I agree it's not one area. I think it [RB19] is just very good in basically all the areas."

According to Verstappen, driving style also plays a role in the RB19's performance. Verstappen made it clear that a driver should always adapt to the car. "If you keep forcing your own way of driving in a car which doesn't like that, it's not going to work," he said. Max Verstappen acknowledged that drivers have their own driving style, but that adaptability "is the key in Formula 1."

Verstappen's driving style comes out best in a car with a sharp front end and a loose rear. As a result, the car tends to oversteer, and this allows Verstappen to chase the car through corners with more control. Verstappen also uses an 'angular racing line': steering in quickly in order to keep the corner as short as possible. As a result, the cornering speed itself is somewhat lower, but acceleration out of the corner is faster, and the car is easier to position. Moreover, this technique saves tyres.