Max Verstappen has little confidence in a victory during the upcoming Australian GP. The Dutchman is on the eve of a new F1 season; in just one week, the championship kicks off at Albert Park in Melbourne. Although Red Bull has built a reliable car with the brand-new RB22, Verstappen sounds realistic: “We are not yet competing for the win.”
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During a Viaplay press moment on Thursday, Verstappen looked ahead to the new season. After the final test days in Bahrain, he was cautiously positive, although he emphasized that there is still a lot of work to be done for Red Bull. He repeated that message on Thursday: “In itself, I can look back on the test days with a positive feeling,” said Verstappen. “I still find it special that we have things so well organized – with a new engine and many new faces within the team. In that respect, I am satisfied.”
Yet Verstappen does not count himself among the favorites for the season opener in Australia. “We are not yet competing for the victory,” he assured. “You have to remain realistic. No one expected us to immediately fight for the win with our own engine at the start of these new regulations.” The new power unit, developed in collaboration with Ford, did impress the competition. Especially Mercedes was surprised by Red Bull’s reliability. “People didn’t expect that either,” Verstappen explained. “Everyone assumed the engine could blow up at any moment. In that respect, we have done really well. We can be proud of that.”
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‘Is this what we want?’
Nevertheless, Verstappen still has questions about the new technical regulations, particularly regarding the powertrain. The four-time world champion has already criticized the increased electrification and the emphasis on energy management in recent weeks. “Some cars are simply more fun to drive than others,” he explained. “If I have to explain it to the average viewer – but also when I look at the data myself – I wonder if this is what we want.”
In the coming days, Verstappen will be anything but idle, he concluded. “There are still many things we need to fine-tune, including the engine. The regulations are so complex that there is still room for improvement everywhere. Without going into detail, I can say that we are fully working on that.” Should we then expect a completely new RB22 in Melbourne? “No, the colors remain the same,” Verstappen joked. “The parts largely too,” he added more seriously. “But during the season, many teams will take big steps. That happens gradually, step by step.”
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