‘Max is weak technically’ – Ex-Red Bull engineer slams Verstappen despite Dutchman securing back-to-back F1 world titles
MAX VERSTAPPEN’S technical skills have been brutally criticised by former Red Bull engineer Guillaume Rocquelin.
The driver won his second World Championship this year after winning a record 14 races this season, but that has not been enough to convince Rocquelin of his skills.
EPAMax Verstappen has been told that he can still improve despite winning his second World Championship title this year.[/caption]
The ex-engineer believed that the Dutchman can still improve his ability in and out of the car in order to improve the team.
He told Eurosport France’s ‘Les Fous du Volant’ podcast: “I’ll be honest, Max is weak technically compared to other drivers we’ve worked with.
“I think he still has a lot of progress to make. He is a leader by his attitude, his results. But I think he can improve from a technical point of view and in the way of developing the car.”
Verstappen beat Sebastien Vettel and Michael Schumacher‘s record of wins in a season, but Rocquelin views Vettel as the “more complete driver”.
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For seven years between 2015 and 2022 Rocquelin was Red Bull Racing’s head of engineering.
He was the race engineer for all of Vettel’s championship wins, before the German driver left for Ferrari in 2015.
He added: “I think Sebastian (Vettel) was a more complete driver than Max (Verstappen) when he arrived with us.
“At the professional level, technique, mediation…he was trained at the (Michael) Schumacher school.
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“He asked a lot of questions, took a lot of notes and when he arrived with us he was very thorough.
“It’s no coincidence he won several titles. He was more prepared technically, and mentally.
“I think Max (Verstappen) maybe had more natural talent, that’s what he relied on the most.
“But Sebastian was the most complete. Max has always been a boss. He has enormous self-confidence, he knows what he wants and he is very direct.”
