Max Verstappen’s “Polite” Predictions Dismissed With a Warning to the Rest of the Grid
Follow Us
Max Verstappen, the defending champion of Formula 1, is gearing up for another shot at the world title. However, Verstappen’s success is not just due to his own driving skills but also to the strength of his team, Red Bull. In the past year, Red Bull has been able to overcome the reliability issues that plagued them and has become one of the most consistent teams on the grid. The team also looks great going into the next season, with Ferrari and Mercedes trailing behind.
Verstappen knows that repeating his success in 2022 will not be easy. He expects the competition to be closer this year and for other teams to have made improvements over the off-season. In particular, he expects Mercedes to come back strong, as they have a history of being a formidable team.
Reacting to this and choosing his favorite for next season, in a conversation with Motorsport.com, Mark Webber, former driver of the Milton-Keynes outfit, said, “I think that is especially polite of Max. I think Red Bull will be the most dangerous team again at the beginning of the season.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
“Everyone else has to improve themselves in every way. Mercedes’ reliability was good, but that of Ferrari less. Red Bull both had good reliability and was strong on all circuits. For Max it was at times Formula 1 Plus in the past year.”
Given how high Red Bull finished the season, Webber’s prediction is safe. In 2023, the only place to improve for the team is to bag the second position in the drivers’ championship as well. Rest they had covered up well in 2022.
Webber’s belief in Max Verstappen and Red Bull
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Red Bull has a rather peculiar challenge on its hands this year. The team will be paying the fine for going over budget in the form of reduced wind tunnel time for testing its new car. The team will have to make the most of the already-limited time.
Addressing the challenge, Webber said, “Nobody knows that at the moment. But I am pretty sure they have enough capable and creative people there to keep things going.”
The Aussie further expressed his curiosity about how the funds would be distributed to keep the team ahead of the curve while believing that it “will be fascinating to see how the first quarter of this season will go.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Trending
Adrian Newey’s “Personal Issue” With Christian Horner the Reason Behind Red Bull Mastermind’s Exit
April 27, 2024 10:51 AM EDT
Liam Lawson’s Surprise Contract Clause Threatens Daniel Ricciardo’s RB Seat
April 24, 2024 11:15 AM EDT
F1 Rumor: Lawrence Stroll Offers Adrian Newey $100 Million to Poach Him From Frederic Vasseur and Co’s Interest
April 26, 2024 03:16 PM EDT
F1 Rumor: Christian Horner and Wife Geri to Publicly Reveal All Details on Leaked Chat Scandal
April 22, 2024 04:10 PM EDT
Adrian Newey to Ferrari, Max Verstappen to Mercedes: What Does the Future Behold for Christian Horner and Red Bull?
April 27, 2024 04:15 PM EDT
Get instantly notified of the hottest F1 stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.
Follow Us
WATCH THIS STORY: Charles Leclerc Gets Into Heated Debated With Max Verstappen Fan Over Dinner Time Conversation
Going into the next season, we’ll get the true picture only in the first third practice of the year. Until then, we’ll just have to wait and see how Mercedes and Ferrari catch up to Red Bull’s progress.
Edited by:
Varunkumaar Chelladurai