Ralf Schumacher urges Max Verstappen to make a choice about his future in Formula 1. During the race weekend in Canada, the Dutchman once again sowed doubt about the continuation of his career. According to the German, this leads to tensions within Red Bull, while the Austrian team would actually benefit from a clear direction. After all, Pierre Waché’s RB22 design still has a number of major shortcomings.
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“Red Bull is still clearly struggling with the car,” said Schumacher in the podcast Backstage Boxengasse. “Pierre Waché can build fast cars, but they are not very consistent. The setup seems so complex that the driver has difficulty handling it. Sometimes everything goes the right way, like with Isack Hadjar in qualifying, but then only in Q2 and not in Q3.” According to the German, ‘the theory does not translate into practice’ in the case of the RB22.
In addition, Verstappen would be causing unnecessary tensions within the Red Bull camp. On the one hand, Schumacher appreciates the openness of the Dutchman, but on the other hand, he believes it does not help the team move forward. “Verstappen is clearly annoyed by these problems,” the former driver noted. “He basically said: ‘I deliberately let the team run into a wall. I told them this was completely wrong.’ That also shows that there are tensions within the team. In a way, I think it’s nice that Verstappen is so honest and open, but some things should just stay behind closed doors.”
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‘Time to make a choice’
The uncertainty about Verstappen’s future also causes irritation for Schumacher. “One day it’s: ‘No, I’m just driving for Red Bull in 2027, nothing’s wrong.’ And the next day: ‘If this continues, I don’t feel like it anymore.’ It’s gradually time for him to make a clear choice so the whole team can focus on the future again.” Still, Schumacher also saw positive developments. “Red Bull has indeed taken a step in Montreal; Hadjar was very strong this weekend. That is also remarkable. Verstappen complained about the car and Hadjar was almost faster than him. That doesn’t have to mean anything, but it is noteworthy.”
Schumacher’s advice? “I think Pierre Waché needs someone beside him to support him,” he emphasized. “Someone who looks beyond just the theory. Apart from the perfect design in the wind tunnel or on paper, the team needs a car that is really well controllable. A design with a wide operating window, so the car also performs when the wind shifts, a driver brakes later, or the downforce level changes. That is currently missing at Red Bull.”
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