Straight talk from the mastermind

Newey sure: “Max is not properly understood”

Adrian Newey (left) and Max Verstappen celebrated many successes together.(Bild: AFP/GETTY IMAGES/CLIVE MASON)

Designer Adrian Newey has spoken out in a podcast following his imminent departure from Red Bull. In particular, he spoke about Max Verstappen. The "mastermind" of Formula 1 is fascinated by the Dutchman. However, Verstappen is misunderstood by outsiders, complains Newey. 

"I don't think outsiders fully understand Max. It's similar to what happened with Sebastian Vettel. Both were sometimes demonized in a way, and that's very unfair," Newey said in the "High Performance" podcast, expressing his disappointment. The English media in particular played a part in this: "There is a certain trend of putting people on a pedestal or pushing them to the ground". 

Yet Verstappen is an impressive personality, the designer clarifies: "It seems as if he drives the car automatically. Of course it's not like that, but he still has so much mental leeway when driving that he can think about driving. And if he doesn't, he contacts his engineer by radio and describes the problems and asks what he should do." 

"Max is not arrogant"
A quality that has also secured him his numerous titles. The world championship titles have certainly boosted the Dutchman's ego, but: "Max is hugely self-confident, but in a positive way, not a negative one. There is a difference: one is self-confidence, the other is arrogance. Max is not arrogant, but he is very self-confident and very self-assured," the 65-year-old clarifies. 

Newey himself will work for the British Formula 1 racing team Aston Martin in the future, as was recently announced. As the reason for his departure from Red Bull, the Englishman said that he wanted to take on "new challenges". However, there is speculation that things have been simmering within the racing team for some time and that Newey has had enough of the power struggle.