– Max Verstappen simply can’t seem to get enough of criticizing the current Formula 1. Even after the Chinese Grand Prix, which he had to end prematurely due to technical problems, the Red Bull driver once again left no doubt about his current dissatisfaction.
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Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff seems to know the reason. “I mean, Max is really stuck in a horror show,” the Austrian counters, making it clear that Verstappen’s frustration is largely related to the current situation of the Red Bull team and, above all, the performance of his RB22.
“If you look at the onboard footage from yesterday’s qualifying, it’s just horrific to drive,” Wolff emphasizes to media, including Motorsport.com, a sister platform of Motorsport-Total.com in the Motorsport Network.
“You can see that, of course, but that’s not the case with many other teams,” Wolff reminds, noting that many other cars are apparently significantly easier to drive. In addition, Verstappen, who usually always goes full attack, personally cannot cope with lifting off the throttle earlier and letting the car coast at times.
Mercedes team principal convinced: “The product itself is good”
In Wolff’s opinion, the Dutchman’s criticism should be viewed with nuance, as not everything about the new regulations is actually bad. “From an entertainment perspective, today’s duel between Ferrari and Mercedes was a good race in my opinion – with many overtaking maneuvers,” the Mercedes sporting director adds.
“We all experienced Formula 1 when there were literally no overtaking maneuvers. Sometimes we are a bit too nostalgic about the good old days, but I think the product itself is good. We have also seen some exciting races in the midfield, and that, I think, is the positive thing.”
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Wolff admits, however, that certain aspects of this year’s regulations still need improvement, especially “lift-and-coast” (Explained: the terms of the new Formula 1) in qualifying. This was particularly problematic in Melbourne because the drivers could only recover a small amount of energy there.
“All data shows that the fans love it”
“From a driver’s perspective, the full-throttle qualifying lap is of course something else,” says Wolff, who used to race sports cars himself. “I’m sure for someone like Max, who always attacks fully, that’s hard to take. But it’s more of a vehicle-specific problem that makes things even worse.”
“Because when you’re sitting in front of the TV or screen, even Max would say that the race at the front was interesting,” Wolff is convinced. “All data shows that the fans love it.” Already after the Australian Grand Prix, he had emphasized that the drivers’ opinion was secondary to the fans’.
In this regard, the Mercedes team principal now emphasizes that the initial signals are positive. “A full-throttle qualifying would of course be nice. But when you look at the fans and the excitement live on site, the cheering during overtaking maneuvers and also the reactions on social media, it’s clear: the younger fans, the vast majority of all age groups, find the sport great at the moment.”
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“Of course, we can always analyze how we can improve,” Wolff continues. “But at the moment, all indicators and data suggest that people love it. And that’s why I also spoke with Stefano Domenicali; he sees it the same way.”
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