Yep, that's probably why Verstappen feels let down by his team and has ideas about moving somewhere else. "The grass is always greener on the other side." Ask Alonso about that !!!
I don't think he commands #1 status currently...the reason he's fed up (understandably) is that his car is desperately unreliable. He's got the fewest laps out of anyone completed this season (even worse than Mclaren!), but when his car has been working he's been stellar, out performing Ricciardo significantly so far this season. Sadly the points don't reflect that. I don't think Vettel will leave (nowhere to go), but I wonder what'll happen with Verstappen alongside him. Vettel is a very gifted driver, he'll have his hands full with Verstappen let alone anyone else. I think fireworks. So far Verstappen has been even more impressive than last year (to me), he getting stronger and stronger which is a worry for any other driver out there. Once he gets in a front running (reliable!) car, it'll be game over for the rest IMO. Pack up, go home, work on next year. And that'll be sad. Because I enjoy Verstappen fighting through the field far too much.
I agree. He has matured with his teammate and so far between the two, they, at moments, have pirouetted very nicely through turns respecting one another all the while Ricci realizing he is being outclassed by his teammate. I think Max, should he go with Ferrari, will give that same respect to Vettel....at times maybe outshining Seb.
Red Bull rubbishes Verstappen to Ferrari rumours Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner has denied suggestions that Max Verstappen is attempting to move to Ferrari in 2018. https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/red-bull-rubbishes-verstappen-ferrari-rumours-928008/
JULY 11, 2017 Red Bull writes off 2017 championship Christian Horner has backed frustrated team driver Max Verstappen in declaring the 2017 world championship basically over for Red Bull. After yet another technical retirement in Austria, and amid rumours he wants out of the team, Verstappen declared: "I no longer think about the world championship, but having good individual races." Some interpreted the comment as capitulation just as Red Bull's performance is closing right up on Mercedes and Ferrari. But Max's boss Christian Horner said: "I think the championships for us are not even worth thinking about. We're a bit in no man's land. "What we're very focused on is building on the progress that we've seen, particularly since Barcelona and ensuring that the second half of the year for us is more competitive than the first half," he added. At the halfway point of the championship, Daniel Ricciardo is 64 points behind leader Sebastian Vettel. Dutchman Verstappen is a further 62 points adrift.
I'm frankly astonished by Red Bull's development pace. It was incredible. It's a shame that Renault didn't step up to the plate with their engine development...
According to some, this could be due to Adrian Newey focusing back on the car again; they have tried a more "horizontal" design approach, where a group of designers were managing the project, and concluded that it couldn't work as well, so Adrian Newey was asked to take direction again... Rgds http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/129581
Being fast is one thing; being fast AND collecting points is another matter. Remember that Enzo Ferrari, before signing a driver, always used to ask: "he is fast, yes; but is he lucky?" Rgds
I have immense respect for Ricciardo and he's one of my favourite guys in F1 ever. Definitely not a slow guy either I rate him among the best in the current field easily. Kind of tough when the car keeps breaking down, isn't it? China: Qualifying engine had issues, Q 16th finished 3rd, overtook Ricci very early Bahrain: Brake failure (ahead of Ricci) Barcelona: Hit by Raikkonen because of Bottas (was well ahead of ricci, who inherited podium) Monaco: Ahead of Ricciardo, the team made a call that was going to lose one of their drivers the podium. Verstappen got the long end of the stick, Ricci inherits podium. Canada: Car complete failure from 2nd place, Ricciardo was 5th or something. Ricci inherits podium Baku: Engine blows up when he was the fastest man on the track, lost a would be easy win, which Ricciardo got Austria: Gearbox failure at the start, hit by Alonso because of Kvyat.
Yep...Newey is just so good at bringing a team together, presumably because he wants to know everything about everything. Letting individual teams to their thing might work out in theory, but the car has to work together well, that's what makes a fast car. Everything working together in harmony.
I can't fault a driver if his car breaks down...but Enzo was right about "is he lucky?" Just look at Amon and Alesi!
Agreed Bas, but nevertheless... Niki Lauda said one day, in one of his interesting remarks (as we all know, he can also say strange things from time to time...): when he was driving, some journalist told him that he was essentially collecting points and not fighting too much for victory: "Scoring points are the conditions that prevails under the current rules; if the rules changes and the conditions change, I shall change accordingly; but these are the rules that prevail now." Ricciardo has twice the total of points of Max now! Even Max himself was quoted in the press today that he is slowly begining to despair... Rgds
I find the exercise of a driver balancing his natural speed with his brain the most interesting challenge of all: the objective is to collect points, to score victories. And to do this, you have to cross the line; being fast is one thing; being fast and scoring a big total of points is another matter entirely... Rgds
The great untold story this year is really how well Riciardo has done. Everyone is concentrating on Max but he's really done quite well with the machine he has under him.
He has done well but the streak of podiums and the win where all Max's, but car failures let him down constantly...and that's a fact! Marko just said they won't sell Verstappen, even for 100 million.
Can't blame Dr. Marko for not wanting to release Max, as he can bring back several WDCs for Red Bull.
If renault pulls their finger out and delivers that all new engine they've promised for next year, who knows...if he's a genuine contender next year he'll win it.
Berger on Verstappen, compares him to Senna...and his favourite and least favourite teammates https://wtf1.com/post/gerhard-berger-thinks-max-verstappen-is-from-the-same-mould-as-ayrton-senna/
I remember Berger also rated Kvyat very highly when he first got into F1... Max is of course most likely in a different league,but i think its a little bit premature to compare him with Senna right now.
No doubt Max is the real deal. None. Ricci is good, but he's no Max. Therein lies the problem - Max is so good, that I don't think there is another driver on the grid that would want him as a team mate. Somehow, Ricci and Max co-exist quite well at RB. I can't see that happening if Max were to be at Merc with Ham or Ferrari with Vet.
There would be an immediate war of words, probably fuelled by the media that take such delight creating tension in the teams.
I think the reason they co-exist well currently is because Max has had his huge string of car failures, and as a direct result of those Ricciardo got a string of podiums and even a win. Max knows he was faster all those weekends and I deeply respect his maturity (remember, he's 19!) not mouthing off at every opportunity saying those where his podiums and wins. In the same way Ricciardo knows this as well, but obviously has nothing to complain about. Ricciardo also IMO is mature and man enough to admit that he may not be quite as good as Max, but in the same way is respectively close to him. He knows full well of Max's abilities and that most anyone in the knows raves about him, so in a way it's only good for him to keep on driving like he is.
As long as this formula keeps working at Red Bull, I mean Faster Verstappen breaking down, and "slower Ricciardo winning, I am happy. The Australian is a far more pleasant character than the young Dutchman, IMO.
