Max Verstappen will probably be “very troublesome to handle” if he isn’t given a aggressive automobile, Pink Bull have been warned by a former F1 staff principal.
That’s the view of ex-Haas staff boss Guenther Steiner, who believes four-time world champion Verstappen will probably be sad if Pink Bull fail to supply him with a automobile able to profitable the world championship.
Verstappen goes into 2025 looking for to win a fifth consecutive drivers’ world title however McLaren and Lando Norris will begin the season as early favourites after their robust finish to final 12 months.
Steiner pointed to events in 2024 when Verstappen “reacted aggressively” to his staff when his Pink Bull automobile was tormented by steadiness points across the mid-way stage of final season.
The Dutchman endured a 10-race streak with no victory amid Pink Bull’s aggressive struggles earlier than returning to profitable methods in Brazil, and happening to clinch the championship with two races to spare.
“I might say final 12 months, when he began to not win, he reacted, fairly aggressively,” Steiner informed CNN.
“However then at some stage, I believe he realised, ‘I must be sensible about this and simply take house as many factors as I can, even when I’m not profitable a race’. So we have to see which Max we get.
“However for positive, if he hasn’t obtained a great automobile the place he can win, he’ll get very troublesome to handle as nicely, I might say, as a result of he will probably be vocal about it that he’s not comfortable. And an sad Max shouldn’t be a pleasant Max, as everyone knows.
“However he’s an excellent driver, I believe the most effective within the second. And for positive, he’ll put his effort in to win races, to win the championship once more, however it won’t be straightforward, as we noticed final 12 months.”
How would Steiner take care of Verstappen?
Pink Bull are heading into the season opener in Australia off the again of a combined Bahrain pre-season take a look at, which the staff admitted didn’t go as easily as they anticipated.
Steiner was requested how he would handle Verstappen if issues weren’t going Pink Bull’s method.
“To remain calm, however don’t throw the toys out of the pram after two races if it doesn’t go your method,” he replied.
“‘If it’s not in our method, at first of the season, we have to work onerous to get again the place we wish to be’, , as a result of getting impatient and complaining doesn’t assist a staff, doesn’t put the staff collectively, and clearly that’s what you want whenever you’re not aggressive.
“However to begin with, I might say, ‘simply let’s wait to see the place we’re at after which we see the place we wish to go, and the place we will go’.”
