Max Verstappen Urges Red Bull to Continue Pushing for Upgrades Amid Formula 1’s Sliding Scale Aerodynamic Testing Regulations
As the 2023 Formula 1 season reaches its midway point, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has emphasized the need for his team to continue developing car upgrades, despite the introduction of Formula 1’s sliding scale aerodynamic testing regulations (Formula 1 schedule). The new regulations aim to level the playing field by giving the bottom team in the championship standings more testing time than the championship-winning squad (Formula 1 today).
Since the dawn of the ground effect era in 2022, Red Bull has dominated the sport, with Verstappen and the team taking both drivers’ and constructors’ titles. However, the current campaign presents a different picture, with multiple teams, including Ferrari, Mercedes, and McLaren, tasting success and challenging Red Bull’s dominance (Formula 1 standings).
Verstappen, currently leading the drivers’ standings, acknowledges that the new regulations may slow down the winning team but believes it’s essential to adapt and continue pushing for upgrades. > “Naturally, it will always help to have more time, but that’s how the rules are, right? To try to slow down the winning team… We need to keep pushing, we need to keep bringing bits – and I know they will come, and hopefully, they will be a little bit better than the upgrades at the other teams,” Verstappen said (Formula 1 news).
The Dutch driver’s call for continued development is a response to the increasing competition from rival teams. At the British Grand Prix, Red Bull introduced an upgrade package, which showed promising results despite Verstappen’s damage in qualifying. > “We can see the gain… We would have definitely been in the fight for pole [without damage],” Verstappen noted, highlighting the importance of continued innovation (Formula 1 calendar).
Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner has cautioned that the team’s strong headstart under the current technical regulations may soon be affected by the law of diminishing returns. However, Verstappen remains confident in his team’s ability to push for further upgrades, stating, > “I refuse to believe so, because then you just get lazy… I’m confident that everyone within the factory, they’re always pushing flat out to try and bring bits of performance to the car” (Formula 1 schedule).
As the season unfolds, it remains to be seen how Red Bull will respond to the new regulations and whether Verstappen’s call for continued upgrades will pay off in their pursuit of another championship title.
🔗 Source