Max Verstappen Talks Formula One

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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?

Matt Miller 0:02
Bloomberg Audio Studios. Podcasts. Radio. News. We are here at the Detroit Auto Show with four-time Formula One champion Max Verstappen. Max, the second half of last season was about as exciting as they get. You were at a 104-point deficit but ended up only missing out by two points in the last race. How did it feel to you?

What challenges did Max Verstappen face in the second half of last season?

Max Verstappen 0:25
Take it race by race, to be honest. We had a bit of a tough first half with some good moments and some bad moments and a bit of a tough start. But second half was a lot more enjoyable. Also on the team side, you start to feel more comfortable, confident when things are going well. Of course, even in the second half, we had a few tough races, but overall, way more competitive. And I think it's always nicer to end the season like that.
Matt Miller 0:54
I mean, it was a great way to end, even if, you know, you didn't win the Ultimate Championship, but I can't imagine working that hard with that set of tools and then having to switch to a completely new set of tools this year in, like, this most serious rule change that Formula One has had, at least in my memory.
Max Verstappen 1:15
Yeah, but I mean, you know that even heading into that season, right? So it's not like it comes as a shock. The team is prepared for that. And it's also a bit of a new challenge. I mean, I enjoyed the cars the last three years, but at the same time, sometimes, yeah, it doesn't hurt to have a bit of a change. Yeah, it can also really upset, of course, the grit. You don't know. So yeah, we'll see how that goes.
Matt Miller 1:40
How do you think the rule changes are going to benefit you as opposed to the rest of the group?
Max Verstappen 1:44
Honestly, I have no idea. I haven't even done that many laps in the simulator. So for me, I'll just see what happens when I sit in the car. I think what is always very important as a driver is that you can adapt quickly to the situation that you're in. If that is on a current car that you've known for a long time or a completely new car, you just need to be able to adapt quickly, learn quickly as well, because the cars will evolve, I think, also very quickly. But yeah, I'm not too stressed about that, to be honest.
Matt Miller 2:13
I mean, Red Bull is seen as the most, at least the most technologically advanced team in the world, and now you have Ford as a partner. I don't think any CEO, automotive CEO, cares about racing more than Jim Farley. What does it mean to you working with Ford?
Max Verstappen 2:27
Yeah, it's great. It's a great opportunity as well. I'm just excited, you know, to get started. There's a massive heritage as well, you know, in racing as well. So, yeah, I think everyone is just now just very keen to get started.
Matt Miller 2:40
Yeah, I think, like, of the former winners that have been powered by Ford, Jim Clark, Hill, Fittipaldi, I mean... Jackie Stewart, like it's such an illustrious list. It's almost like you're gonna do DFV 2.0 with this new team.
Max Verstappen 2:59
Let's see. I mean, yeah, we hope of course to have a lot of success, but it's impossible to know. The only thing that I do know is that everyone is giving it everything they have.
Matt Miller 3:07
What do you think about the development? We've heard that maybe you have found a bit of an edge with compression, variable compression. I guess there's going to be a meeting on January 2nd about how this will work for you and Mercedes. Do you feel like you have an edge?
Max Verstappen 3:24
It's impossible to know. Everyone is just trying everything they can and from our side, and especially from my side, I have to focus on the driving. I'm not there to be the engine technician and will explain everything in detail to you. At the end of the day, it's also something between the FIA and the car manufacturers or the engine manufacturers to sort out. I drive the car and I trust that from our side, we always try to do our very best to get the most performance out of the engine.
Matt Miller 3:53
Are you excited to have a smaller, more nimble car?

How did Max Verstappen adapt to the new Formula One rule changes?

Matt Miller 3:57
Is that more exciting for you because it'll be easier, I guess, in that instance to pass?
Max Verstappen 4:01
uh i mean it's a bit too soon to to be able to say that that it will be easier to pass i have no idea so you know everything is still unknown you know so the cars i think look a bit nicer you know when they're a bit smaller and and not as wide um but yeah once we we get on track then it's a bit easier to get a bit of an understanding of what is all happening and going on

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