Franz Tost is critical of Max Verstappen’s dominant role at Red Bull, saying the car is made based on his demands.
Verstappen is the star driver of Red Bull, and understandably has a crucial role to play. All his teammates have faded when driving alongside him, because it is very hard to beat him. The Dutchman is one of the best drivers on the grid today, and carries himself that way.
It is a known fact that Verstappen is also a developmental driver for Red Bull. He assists them in the making and development of every season’s car. The AlphaTauri Team Principal is of the opinion that such a role is not healthy.
Tost is critical of Verstappen’s dominant role at Red Bull, saying the car is made based on his demands and subsequently not suited for his teammates.
When asked about the Red Bull second driver situation, Tost told Sport1, “Gasly could come close. But Max is the technical lead driver in the team.
“That means he develops the car exactly the way he wants it. So it’s possible that the second driver could have problems with that.
“I don’t want it to be a very specific driving style, but he has a unique feel for how to get the best out of the braking point, the turn-in point and then the apex.
“There are other drivers who can’t handle a car built for Max as well. That’s because they have a different driving style,” he concluded.
Teammate issues
Each of Verstappen’s last four teammates have struggled alongside him. Daniel Ricciardo, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon and now Sergio Perez have all struggled in the Red Bull cars.
Perez, his teammate this season, has half the points of the Dutchman. That is not good enough given that they have the same machinery. Although Checo has been confirmed for the next season, there are question marks rising over his inconsistency.
This has been a worry for a while now, and perhaps it is indeed down to Verstappen’s all-consuming role within the team.
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