Max Verstappen won 15 Grand Prix in 2022, reigning Formula 1 World Champion is not impressed with the new generation cars and doesn’t fancy the addition of street circuits to the calendar.
Well-intentioned rules to make the cars more ‘race-able’ were rolled out a year later than originally planned, instead of breaking cover for the 2021 F1 season, COVID-19-related delays, meant they made their debut for the 2022 season.
The rulemakers goal was not only to improve racing but also to reduce the telling gap between the big teams – Ferrari, Red Bull, and Mercedes – and the chasing pack.
The latter did not really manifest as the trio of top teams won all the races, the margins between the Haves and Have-Nots are still pretty much the same, however, if anything it’s much closer in the midfield.
As for the new-gen F1 cars being capable of racing at close quarters, the box was ticked as F1 fans witnessed some great duels, no longer sullied by aero wakes that made following cars on track a chore, if not impossible.
But, at the same time, these cars are also more cumbersome, a fact which Verstappen laments: “It’s very difficult, especially in qualifying it is super difficult to get a perfect lap.
“The corners at high speed [tracks] like at Spa-Francorchamps are 100% better because you can really make the difference as a driver, especially with the new cars but driving it on street circuits is the worst experience
“Simply because the cars are so heavy and stiff. For example, I love Singapore, a great track but I was very disappointed with the behavior of the car. You can hardly drive on the curbs anymore, as soon as you go over them you almost crash,” explained the double F1 World Champion on ViaPlay.
Max: I’d rather go to Las Vegas for another reason…
Singapore is not alone, other street tracks, where the long cars are more than a handful while, simultaneously, there is now an F1 ‘boom-time’ inspired trend to run races on street circuits as opposed to purpose-built, conventional race tracks. Miami was added to the roster this past season, and next year Las Vegas is on the calendar, also a street circuit.
“I’d rather go to Las Vegas for another reason…” quipped Verstappen. “We are getting more and more street circuits and I don’t like that at all. An F1 car is not designed to be driven on a street circuit. The car comes to life in good high-speed corners.
“I understand that there are a number of street circuits a year on the calendar. It’s fun and blah, blah, blah, but not too much. I much prefer the old-school circuits, like Suzuka. If you do a lap there in qualifying it’s so much more fun than a random street circuit!” declared the Dutchman.
Worth noting, the Adrian Newey-designed Red Bull RB18 that powered Verstappen to his second title this season, was by far the best chassis on the grid as stats show: 17 victories in the hands of Max (15) and Sergio Perez (2) of which only eight times the car started from pole position.
The RB18 led 763 laps during the course of the 22 races that made up the F1 World Championship this year, while their rivals combined to lead 531 laps in total making it, arguably, the most dominant car Red Bull have ever built.
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