F1 News: Max Verstappen's "Boredom" in Dominant Season Revealed by Engineer
Gianpiero Lambiase, the race engineer for Max Verstappen, has stated that the champion driver has felt “bored” during some of his dominant Formula 1 victories this season. Verstappen's record-breaking spree of 17 wins in 20 races has sometimes led to a drop in engagement, according to Lambiase's observations.
Key Takeaways:
- Max Verstappen’s engineer Gianpiero Lambiase conveyed on the ‘Talking Bull’ podcast that despite the driver's success, Verstappen has occasionally shown signs of disinterest during races due to the large gaps he's had over competitors.
- Throughout the season, Verstappen and Lambiase have been known for their back-and-forth exchanges over the team radio, with moments of confrontation being highlighted during races, such as at the Belgian Grand Prix.
- Verstappen emphasised the importance of respect in their relationship and clarified that their intense radio conversations are not indicative of real conflict but rather a shared ambition for excellence.
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As the 2023 Formula 1 season has unfolded, it has been marked by the astounding performance of Max Verstappen, resulting in a sweeping majority of race wins. However, such unchallenged supremacy on the track has its own drawbacks. According to Gianpiero Lambiase, Verstappen's race engineer, there have been times when the Dutch driver hasn't been fully engaged due to the lack of competition.
The three-time world champion's ease on the circuit was highlighted in an episode of Red Bull's 'Talking Bull' podcast. Lambiase recalls moments when he sensed Verstappen was almost too comfortable, leading to a drop in focus.
“Sometimes I get the feeling that you are just bored basically.
“I think even if we’re 30 seconds up the road I’ll still be in the zone, as it were, still trying to maximise everything and taking everything seriously.
“Whereas I think at that point [Max] has perhaps lost a bit of interest and is like, ‘Come on GP, just chill out of it.’”
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Verstappen and Lambiase have a relationship that is far from passive, characterised by exchanges that sometimes come across as contentious to onlookers.
Despite any perceived on-track tension, Verstappen insists that their relationship is underpinned by mutual respect and a drive to achieve the best results.
“I mean, of course, respect is very important. But people sometimes they don’t really understand what kind of relationship you have.
“So for example, if we are on the radio and where we sound a bit upset or angry, they think we are in a fight. But that’s not the case.
“It’s just we want the best out there. And then of course, sometimes I raise my voice on the radio because yeah, full of adrenaline while driving. And of course, GP also he wants the best and that’s why sometimes we have quite fiery conversations.
“But for me, that is the way I like to approach our weekend, our racing, because if I would be upset or whatever or not happy with a certain situation, he’s like, ‘copy that or like thank you very much for your message’. I’d be, ‘What is going on?’
“You know, we are both in this together and we want to have the best possible result. But of course, respect is very important.”
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