Exclusive interview with Max: 'Car is great to drive, not so to race in'
Published on 28 February 2019 by Mike Motilall
During the off-season testing in Barcelona, Verstappen.nl had an extensive and amusing conversation with Max Verstappen. Part one of the interview was about the Winter stop, the new RB15 and the change in regulations. In this part, we’ll look ahead at the new season, explore the developments in Formula 1 and also discuss racing in the virtual world.
This year there are again some new regulations that stimulate overtaking in Formula 1. What would you do to facilitate this?
“I would just make the floor of the car bigger so you are able to generate more mechanical grip and downforce from within the car itself. I would also make the front- and rear wing smaller and less complicated. For me it’s not even about breaking records or going as fast as possible. Racing was much more fun for me in 2015 than now. If you had a bad qualifying session you knew that you would be able to move up through the field because you were able to overtake. Now you’re just stuck and then not much happens anymore. It is what it is, but hopefully things will get better in the future.”
“On the other hand, these cars are really great to drive during qualifying, if you see how much downforce is generated. On Spa or in Singapore qualifying is really fast paced and when it’s bumpy, you get that sensation of speed even more.”
Do you think the gap between the top three teams has decreased?
“I do think that the teams behind of us have gotten a bit closer, but that was the case also at the start of the season last year. During the season, it tends to divide again. Of course it partially has to do with the availability of funds and the right people, but it is also quite normal that a top team is able to develop itself more than a somewhat smaller team. If the smaller teams by chance build a very good car in the Winter, they are able to benefit from that for quite some time. But eventually that advantage also fades away. That was evident last year. I think that Alfa Romeo and Renault have made a great leap forward, but then it depends on how the development will be.”
After the first week of testing, you also immediately got in the simulator. What did you learn from this?
“Actually we tested everything like I would have done on the circuit the day before. Then it’s about looking how much it actually matches up, but the correlation was very good. This means that when you change anything on the circuit, it generates the same effect in the simulator. Even regarding lap times, and that’s very important. During the season you need to set the car up in the simulator before heading off to the circuit. So then it needs to be the same of course.”
During the Winter you took part in the virtual 12-hours of Bathurst in iRacing. How was that experience even though you were out very quickly?
“The first accident was nothing we could do anything about, but then you’re actually pretty done quite quickly. I was in Geneva and was following it when I suddenly got an app that said that we had crashed. You spend one entire month preparing yourself and then it’s over within an hour, but that’s part of the game. Those things can happen, certainly on a circuit. It was fun nevertheless, because we practiced the whole month together. We brought out the best in each other, even regarding lap times. Lando Norris was there as well, so that was pretty nice.”
You also broke some world records with a Formula 3-car in the same game. How does that compare to the real world, apart from the obvious of course?
“The set up works the same way as the real thing. When you have understeer, you know exactly how to take care of that. That was what I was busy with the entire Winter and that’s also what I like to do. When I start something, I then want to make tracks and cannot stand it when I’m third or even fourth. I need to go faster then! I even spent a few nights working on the set up till three, four o’clock in the morning just to make sure that I was good to go the next day.”
“I also spent a few days in the online simulator the entire day. I start around 09.30 hrs and then continue on till about two, three o’clock in the morning with a few breaks to have something to eat or watch a series. It’s quite addictive. Once you start something, you want to change stuff and think: this is good. Then all of a sudden it’s two hours later and you think: time really flew!”
Do you see a sim racer make it to the Formula 1 one day?
“I don’t think to the Formula 1, because ultimately it’s also about the experience on the circuit. Moreover, when you crash in a simulator, you just start over. In the real world it’s quite something different taking a turn full power at three hundred kilometers an hour or coming close to a wall. It’s all about those little things, like the G-forces which you are not used to. I think maybe it would work the other way round, that a(n) (ex)Formula 1-driver will be able to compete in E-sports. That would be very nice.”
What’s more fun, a game of FIFA or beating the lap times in sim racing?
“I did that as well over the Winter. At a certain point I had the simulator on, Netflix on the TV and also a screen with FIFA on. When I was tired of sim racing, I played FIFA for an hour. When I then got tired, I watched Netflix for a while and then on to the simulator again. It didn’t make any sense at all, but I loved every moment of it. Just being at home.”
You’re on the eve of your fifth season in Formula 1 and if all goes well, your hundredth Grand Prix in the USA. Do you still feel yourself being a young talent or a seasoned pro?
“I don’t think I can call myself a young talent anymore because I am experienced now. I thought about it some time ago. Apart from that, it’s the longest period in my life that I have been driving in a particular racing class.”
Last year you came home with eleven podium finishes and two victories. Would you be happy if you manage to equal that this year?
“Considering the start last year, that was still a reasonable result. It also depends of course on how well the engine and car are. But I also hold my own performance against that. As a team and Honda we want more than that, because we always want to be able to perform. If that’s possible, I don’t know yet.”
Heading off to Melbourne, what are your feelings now compared to last year?
“So far I think that we are looking good, but the championship is not won in Melbourne of course. We need to make sure that our performance is constant and don’t have many drop outs. Hamilton only just won the championship after the Summer break so there is still a lot possible. If I had scored decently in the first six races last year, I would have been fighting for second place in the championship. If we can be a little bit better than last year overall, then there is more to gain.”
Lastly, what are you looking forward to the most this year?
“That is hard to say at this moment. It depends on how well the car is, because only then can you look forward to the races which you know you can perform well at. In any case, I always enjoy going to Mexico, haha! Apart from that, I also look forward to the Jumbo Racedagen. That’s always fun.”
