Max Verstappen reveals difference between 2022 Red Bull and last season’s ‘uncontrollable’ car

Verstappen predicted that his team’s new car will be “really fun to drive”

Max Verstappen is a fan of Red Bull’s car for the 2022 F1 season (AFP via Getty Images)

Max Verstappen believes that the new Red Bull car for the 2022 Formula 1 season is “better” than the one he secured his maiden world title in.

The Dutchman overtook Lewis Hamilton on the final lap of the 2021 season to secure his first Drivers’ Championship crown.

However teams were forced to overhaul the design of their cars during the offseason with significant regulation changes.

Afforded a first chance on track in Red Bull’s RB18 car for 2022 in two rounds of preseason testing in Barcelona and Bahrain, Verstappen was pleased with how the car felt.

Revealing that, even on his way to overall victory, he found the 2021 edition at times “uncontrollable”, the 24-year-old’s early impression is that he prefers the new vehicle.

“I do think it is better,” Verstappen said on Saturday in Bahrain.

“It’s at least better than last year, when if you got behind someone, you suddenly got understeer or a lot of oversteer. It was uncontrollable.

“When I’m behind a car now, I do notice that I’m losing downforce, but that happens front and rear. So that makes it more predictable and controllable for drivers.”

Verstappen topped the standings after the final day of testing in Bahrain around a Sakhir circuit that will also host the opening race weekend of the season.

Hamilton has won the last three editions of the race, but may be concerned by a disappointing showing in testing from the new Mercedes’ car, with Ferrari seemingly Red Bull’s closest challengers on track.

The 2022 vehicles are significantly heavier, which will require drivers to adjust. Verstappen believes that they will suit quicker circuits.

“That depends a bit on the circuits we go to,” the Dutchman said when asked if the new generation of cars will be fun to race.

“These cars are a lot slower in the slow corners because they are a lot heavier. On a track with a lot of slow corners, it will be less fun for us to drive.

“But if we go to circuits with a lot of fast corners, it really is a fun car to drive.”