Christian Horner once said that Formula 1 drivers almost have a fighter jet pilot mentality. After all, racing wheel-to-wheel at nearly 200 miles an hour without breaking a sweat is no joke. Due to their highly competitive nature, they can sometimes be difficult to work with. A former Bridgestone engineer had previously labeled double world champion Fernando Alonso as one of those difficult-to-deal-with drivers. And one would think that all world champion caliber drivers must be the same. But in a recent conversation, Adrian Newey revealed that this was not the case with the reigning world champion Max Verstappen.

If Red Bull continues its dominance till the new regulations take effect in 2026, Max Verstappen is poised to become a 5-time world champion. Something only two other drivers have ever achieved in Formula 1. And the man responsible for Red Bull’s current dominance, the legendary F1 car designer, Adrian Newey, recently spoke about Verstappen’s prowess behind the wheel when he highlighted one aspect of the Dutchman’s personality that is opposite to Alonso’s.

Adrian Newey praises Max Verstappen for how he helps the team improve

Speaking with Autosport, Newey highlighted Verstappen’s unique ability to seemingly operate the car subconsciously, allowing him ample mental capacity to strategize during races.

“I think Max, like all the truly great drivers, you have the impression that he can drive the car almost subconsciously. And that then leaves him with plenty of processing power to think about what the car is doing,” said Newey.

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Newey also emphasized how Verstappen, like other true greats, possesses the skill to read a race comprehensively, modifying his driving approach and adjusting car settings on the fly. “So, that kind of ability to drive the car extremely quickly, but still have constant reserve is something which Max very clearly has and I would say all the true greats that I’ve worked with have also been the same,” he added.

However, when asked to describe whether or not Max Verstappen is an easy driver to work with, Adrian Newey praised Verstappen’s collaboration style, describing him as a demanding yet straightforward driver. “Yeah, he’s a very easy driver to work with.” Acknowledging Verstappen’s constructive feedback and effective communication with the team’s chief engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, Newey noted the collaborative effort to find solutions, even in challenging situations.

This stands in stark contrast to what Ernest Knoors recently said about Fernando Alonso, “When you work with Fernando Alonso, it’s a pleasure. When you have him in a team, he can also be quite difficult, because he always pushes for the best solutions for him, while as a team you might want to look for solutions that are best for the entire team.”

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But as said earlier, F1 drivers do have a mentality to go for the kill and that does lead to tempers flaring from time to time. Verstappen had that moment this year in Singapore.

Max Verstappen lost his cool in Singapore amidst a difficult weekend

Carlos Sainz emerged victorious at the Marina Bay Circuit, breaking Max Veratappen’s run of 10 back-to-back victories. The Dutchman had been vocal about balance issues with the RB-19 throughout the Singapore GP weekend, as he expressed dissatisfaction with his car, citing slow pace and potential gear-shifting problems.

Throughout the practice sessions, Verstappen struggled to find a balance in the car while Ferrari looked strong. During the final practice, he encountered issues with gear changes, both upshifts and downshifts. Verstappen’s frustration was evident over the radio as he exclaimed, “These upshifts, what the f**k? I’m sorry but I cannot drive with these upshifts. What f**king is this? Unacceptable.“

When Max’s race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase asked him to come to the pits so that the team could look at the issue more closely. He again snapped back and said, “I literally just came through the pits.” While Newey’s assessment paints Verstappen as this easy-to-work-with guy, the Dutchman can get quite furious, especially when things are not going his way.

Do you think Max Verstappen will cruise through to his 5th driver’s championship before the new regulations kick in? Share your insights in the comments.

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