Frederic Vasseur has dismissed Max Verstappen’s argument that he would have secured the Formula 1 title even sooner in the McLaren or Ferrari car this season.
The Dutchman wrapped up the title with two rounds to go in Las Vegas by finishing ahead of Lando Norris to clinch his fourth consecutive Drivers’ Championship.
A recovery drive in Brazil to victory helped Verstappen on his way to becoming champion after a mid-season struggle that included a run of 10 races without a win.
McLaren’s Miami upgrade propelled the team into the title fight and, soon after, Mercedes and Ferrari brought upgrades of their own to enter contention at the top.
After the race in Las Vegas, Verstappen told the media that he believes he could’ve won the title “even earlier” had been driving a rival car, like a Ferrari or a McLaren.
Ferrari Team Principal Vasseur has since taken issue with this statement, though, claiming that the variable involved in F1 means that his claim has little substance.
“It makes no sense to think or say that in another team Verstappen would have won the same since it is not possible to separate the performance of a driver from that of his car,” Vasseur told Autosprint.
“There are too many elements involved.”
Vasseur proceeded to prove his point even further by suggesting what would’ve happened had Verstappen driven the McLaren MCL38 that won the Constructors’ title.
“It makes no sense to say that Verstappen would have won in a McLaren as well since the quality level of Woking’s team also depends on feedback and work done with its current drivers,” he added.
Vasseur praises Verstappen’s ability to ‘maximise the result’
Vasseur highlighted that Red Bull’s dip in competitiveness was exposed in 2024 as its rivals were close enough to punish the team compared to previous seasons.
“In 2022 and 2023 the Red Bull was much better,” he acknowledged.
“When you have six-tenths [margin], you can make mistakes and nobody notices it and you are beatified.
“This year, however, it was enough [of] a small mistake to make the team of Milton Keynes down to sixth place.”
But while he disagreed with Verstappen’s verdict, Vasseur acknowledged that his ability to maximise results during Red Bull’s rut helped him to retain the crown.
“What impressed me about Verstappen this year was his ability to extract the best even when they struggled,” he said.
“And this is a lesson for us, because over the course of a season in such a competitive context there are races where we are not the strongest, but it is necessary to maximize the result.
“To win, you need to make a difference when you’re not in the right place – that’s where he has made a difference.”
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