Are Red Bull Racing’s Formula 1 cars designed exclusively around Max Verstappen? Some fans and commentators have suggested this, pointing to the significant performance gap between Verstappen and his teammates in recent seasons. However, Jacques Villeneuve, 1997 Formula 1 World Champion, is dismissive of the idea. Speaking on the High Performance Podcast, Villeneuve said:

“Everyone says, ‘Oh, but the car is made for Max. Poor second driver.” That’s simply not true. Max is just working to continuously improve the car.'”

Villeneuve frames the discussion around driver skill and adaptation, rather than engineering favouritism.

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Verstappen’s Advantage: Adaptation and Feedback

According to Villeneuve, the difference between Verstappen and his teammates comes down to understanding and adapting to the car, not preferential treatment.

*“If you, as a driver, have problems with the car and can’t figure out what’s wrong during the season, then you’ll get slower and slower. That doesn’t happen because you’re actually slower, but because Max keeps getting faster,” he explained.

The key, he argues, is the ability to continuously improve the car through detailed feedback and adaptation. Verstappen, Villeneuve insists, excels at this process, which contributes to his dominant results.

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Finding the Perfect Operating Window:

Getting an F1 car into the ideal operating window is a subtle and complex task. Villeneuve draws on his own experience as a driver to explain why Verstappen appears to have an edge.

*“It’s quite simple. Max just understands what’s going on. Sometimes you have understeer because the front is too soft, and sometimes because it’s too stiff,” he said. The former driver emphasises that aerodynamics also play a crucial role in car behaviour, and understanding these variables is essential.

Villeneuve notes that achieving the “perfect operating window” transforms the car into an extension of the driver. In this state, adjustments become instinctive, allowing the driver to extract maximum performance without constantly thinking about the mechanics of the car.

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The Skill Gap Explained

Villeneuve argues that only a few drivers in Formula 1 can reach this level of integration. He points to Verstappen’s consistent speed improvements and adaptability as evidence that his performance is not simply a product of a car built to his specifications.

*”As a driver, you have to figure out what to do to get the car into its perfect operating window, because then it becomes part of your own body, an extension of yourself, and you no longer have to think about what you have to do. Very few drivers manage to do that,”* Villeneuve said.

This perspective reframes the debate around Verstappen’s dominance. Rather than attributing it to engineering bias, Villeneuve highlights the combination of technical understanding, adaptability, and feedback skills that Verstappen brings to Red Bull Racing.

The narrative that Red Bull tailors its car solely to Verstappen’s preferences oversimplifies the factors behind his success. Villeneuve’s insights suggest that the four-time world champion’s advantage is as much about his driving intelligence and ability to optimise performance as it is about any team design choices.

In a sport where tenths of a second can define careers, Verstappen’s edge illustrates the rare combination of skill, insight, and adaptability needed to stay at the front of Formula 1.

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NEXT ARTICLE: F1 struggles to land new race promoters

The global image of Formula One is that of a runaway success as the sport continues to grow from strength to strength. Next season will see the first new circuit added since Las Vegas back in 2023, although rumours that Madrid is behind schedule continue to circulate.

Yesterday it was announced that Portimao in Portugal will return to the F1 schedule for a two year run in 2027/8. Yet the pipeline once brimming with hopeful promoters brandishing unlimited cheques appears to be running somewhat dry.

As is often the case in modern F1, the Portuguese Grand Prix is being underwritten by the government of the country and given the exorbitant fees to host such an event, the commitment for now is for just two years.

 

Gaps appearing on the future F1 calendar

However, there are gaps appearing on the calendar and in 2027 there are currently only 23 confirmed F1 race weekends. Imola has said farewell this season, but Madrid replaces the final slot on the 2026 schedule. Barcelona loses the right to host the Spanish Grand Prix as the title for the race has been transferred to the Spanish capital.

The future of F1 in Barcelona is uncertain given their contract expires at the end of 2026. The promoters may be hoping for an extension to be agreed, although they’ve been set the task of huge infrastructure improvements to deliver by the FIA and FOM.

For 2027 the number of Grand Prix weekends cold fall to as low as 21, as the historic Belgian Grand Prix begins its bi-annual rotation on the calendar. The Las Vegas Grand Prix will also be out of contract, although it is thought to be just a formality that an extension will be agreed.

Currently there are no big F1 projects in the pipeline and even the hugely trailed new Saudi Arabia track with its 90 metre high banked turn one has not yet broken ground. Whispers are…READ MORE ON THIS STORY