Max Verstappen on Red Bull driver swap: I made my feelings clear
SUZUKA, Japan — Max Verstappen said he made his feelings clear to Red Bull after learning about the decision to demote Liam Lawson to junior team Racing Bulls this weekend and promote Yuki Tsunoda.
Verstappen will be partnered by his third different teammate in four races after Sergio Perez was cut by Red Bull over the winter. Lawson lasted just two races as the Mexican’s replacement at the start of this year and Tsunoda is now preparing to partner the four-time world champion this weekend in Japan.
Lawson’s tenure at the team, which lasted just two races, was the shortest of any Red Bull driver in the team’s history.
When asked on Thursday for his opinion on the change, Verstappen said “sometimes it’s not necessary to always share everything in public — I think it’s better”, but last week he liked an Instagram post by former F1 driver Giedo van der Garde that was critical of Red Bull’s decision.
The post said Red Bull’s decision “came closer to bullying or a panic move,” and while Verstappen refused to air his opinion, he confirmed he agreed with van der Garde’s sentiment.
“I liked the comment, the text, so I guess that speaks for itself, right?” he told media ahead of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix. “It was not a mistake [to like the post] — that happens sometimes, you click on something [by mistake].”
Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko said last week, “we know Max is not happy” and Verstappen said on Thursday that he had made his views clear within the team.
“My reaction was shared with the team, but in general, you know, about not only the swap, but about everything,” Verstappen said. “We discussed that already during last weekend, race weekend, back at the factory.
“Like I said, everything has been shared with the team, how I think about everything.”
Verstappen said the team’s focus should be on the limitations of the car, which would in turn solve the second driver issue.
“Well, I think our main issue is that our car is not where we want it to be,” he added. “I think everyone knows that within the team as well and that’s what I focus on, to be honest.
“Because as soon as the car is more competitive and more drivable in general, then I think even in the other car, you know, in the second car, it will come to you anyway a bit more naturally.”
Asked if Lawson’s struggles put Perez’s poor performance last year in a new context, Verstappen said it just underlined the issues with the car.
“Maybe we can now see how difficult it is to drive that car,” he said. “I don’t think you need to have a look at anyone, to be honest. What has been done has been done.
“I think it’s more important that we take a good look at ourselves and just keep on working and keep on improving the car. I don’t care what anyone else thinks.
“Or poor Checo, or poor this, or poor that. At the end of the day, we got ourselves into this situation, so we just need to work on it.”
Source: espn.com