A former Red Bull engineer believes F1 world champion Max Verstappen can improve technically and could help more to develop his car.
Verstappen, aged 25, has dominated the championship this season breaking Sebastian Vettel's record, jointly held with Michael Schumacher, of 13 race wins in a single season. Already crowned world champion Verstappen took his 14th win of 2022 in Mexico and with two races remaining, could further his tally.
Despite beating Vettel's record, former engineer Guillaume Rocquelin believes Verstappen is not yet up to the level of the four-time world champion. Rocquelin was Red Bull Racing head of engineering between 2015 and 2022. He was also Vettel’s race engineer during all of his championship wins, before the German left Red Bull for Ferrari in 2015.
Speaking on Eurosport France’s ‘Les Fous du Volant’ podcast, Rocquelin stated he believes that Verstappen can improve technically.
"I think he still has a lot of progress to make," said Rocquelin. "He is a leader by his attitude, his results. But I think he can improve from a technical point of view and in the way of developing the car.”
Vettel joined Red Bull's sister team Toro Rosso in 2007 before signing for Red Bull less then two years later, finishing second in his first full season and then winning four world titles in a row. Verstappen followed the same path starting out with Toro Rosso in 2015 and joining Red Bull the following year. However, it took the Dutch driver four full seasons to clinch his maiden world title.
“I think Sebastian (Vettel) was a more complete driver than Max (Verstappen) when he arrived with us,” added Rocquelin. “At the professional level, technique, mediation…he was trained at the (Michael) Schumacher ‘school’, who was his idol.
“He asked a lot of questions, took a lot of notes and when he arrived with us he was very thorough. It’s no coincidence he won several titles. He was more prepared technically, mentally." the professional level, technique, mediation…he was trained at the (Michael) Schumacher ‘school’, who was his idol.
“I think Max (Verstappen) maybe had more natural talent, that’s what he relied on the most. But Sebastian was the most complete. Max has always been a boss. He has enormous self-confidence, he knows what he wants and he is very direct.
