Max Verstappen, the driver indifferent to data

A young man who drives the old-fashioned way. Max Verstappen remains the youngest driver in history to have started in Formula 1, in 2015. And despite being 23 years old today, he wants to keep his approach to motor racing and car development.

It does not use computer data at all to analyze changes made to its car, but focuses on how he feels behind the wheel. “This is what you already practice in karting“, explained the Dutchman. “Of course you don’t have fins, but you can simulate different types of things. That's what my father taught me: sometimes he would send me to the track, he would change something on the kart, but he wouldn't tell me what, and then I had to feel what it felt like.

And that’s how we get a good understanding of the new parts that are coming to the car,” said Max. “But he also told me: ‘if you don’t feel anything, don’t say anything; do not lie ".

For Verstappen, Formula 1 is no different from karting on this level. “To be honest, if they want to stick a new front wing, I don't need to look at the data to confirm or not,” he said. “I go out, understeer, oversteer, more grip mid-corner, or whatever… The data just allows the engineers to confirm what I said. I don't need to open my laptop and say, "Oh no, that's actually it." That would be wrong. »

With his engineer at Red Bull, Verstappen exchanges a lot but rarely leans on the screen. “You talk to the engineer – at least I do with my engineer now – you don’t have to look at every corner. That works."

The man with ten Grand Prix victories has proven since his debut that his approach is good.