Laurent Mekies interview in Budapest, Erik van Haren
[The car operating in a very small window] is not happening for the first time. Why isn't that being resolved?
"I don't want to say it's a Red Bull trademark but you're right that this isn't unique. But we have to be honest; Red Bull Racing has also won a lot of championships with this type of car. It just stands out more now because we're the hunter and not the prey."
But that is difficult to resolve then? Because balance issues and also hitting kerbs and bumps is something Verstappen has been complaining about for years.
"It's not like we say: we would like to continue operating in this small window for years. Or that we don't listen to Max. But we're very careful with the compromises we have to make, the ones that influence the performance."
So you mean the car will be slower if it's more driveable?
"I think you need to keep two things separate. First of all you have Max who has an incredible feel for the car and guides us as a team with his feedback. It's just that we can't always match his feeling, so to speak, with our technical support. Besides that, it's true that there's a limited amount of possibilities to find compromises because finding the right set-up is requires precision. If we colour too much outside the lines it will cost lap time."
Your technical director Pierre Waché recently said that Verstappen sometimes feels things the team doesn't see in the data. That seems concerning, no?
"That Max feels things we can't measure with our current data analysis and sensors in the car is a fact. I'm very honest about that. It's the result of his extraordinary sensitivity in the car and the technical level he has. I don't see that as a concerning factor but actually as a great strength."
"To give an example: Max already felt at the beginning of this year that there was a problem with the steering system and we couldn't see it. But thanks to him we've been able to solve it. As a team we only benefit from that."
But aren't you afraid then that Verstappen will lose confidence in the engineers?
"I dare say that all the things Max feels in the car that we cannot see in the data, wouldn't be noticed at any other team either. It's Max's great advantage. It's why he's the driving force behind the successes of this team. We're very direct with each other, I think everyone can see that. We don't beat around the bush and don't tell each other lies. I understand he's frustrated sometimes. But for us he's an enormous support, even if that sometimes brings out emotions."
Like in Canada this year when he clearly said that the engineers hadn't listened to him in choosing the set-up for qualifying.
"We talked about that openly after that weekend. It was a clear 'I told you so' moment. It doesn't mean we don't listen to him. But sometimes we want to push boundaries and we do that together with the drivers. I have full confidence in our people. We mustn't forget that last year they were also responsible for that huge come-back."
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