He’s arguably Formula One’s hottest property and now Max Verstappen could have a car that will propel him to the pinnacle of motorsport.
Alongside Ferrari, Red Bull is expected to mount a sustained challenge to Mercedes this year — the German team dominated 2016, winning all but two of the 21 races.
Ferrari were fastest at winter testing in Barcelona but Red Bull weren’t far behind — raising hopes that this season’s RB13 can evolve into a championship-winning car in 2017.
Ahead of this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, Verstappen hinted on Thursday that evolution has already begun.
“(The car) will look a little bit different — a little bit,” Verstappen told F1.com.
“But not just in a single aspect — everywhere. That’s what you do if you want to drive the whole car concept forward. But it is still the best looking car on the grid!”
Verstappen became the youngest driver to win an F1 race when he took the checkered flag in Spain last season marking him out as a future F1 world champion, while his phenomenal drive to secure third place at the Brazilian GP is regarded as one of the sport’s great performances.
So is he feeling the pressure?
“I feel more and more relaxed with every year and every race …” the teenager replied.
Journey into the unknown
Sunday’s race will be a journey into the unknown for all the drivers as they finally find out how their new-look cars perform on the track in the heat of battle.
Regulation changes ordered by motorsport’s world governing body the FIA have made the cars wider, lower and faster — lap times are expected to improve by 3-5 seconds.
For Verstappen, victory doesn’t necessarily mean first place in Melbourne.
“For me to be super happy — and not a single cloud in paradise — that would of course be a victory,” he says.
“I just have to follow the car: if the car is able to finish third, I am happy with third; the same goes for fifth.”
