Max Verstappen turns F1 rulebook into an art form

Max Verstappen, Red Bull's awesome driver, is known for his blistering speed, but his top spot besides seems to prevarication successful his cognition of the rules of Formula 1. Stephen Knowles, Red Bull's manager of sporting regulations, said the Dutchman turns his knowing and exploitation of the rules into a existent art, which is arsenic important to his occurrence arsenic earthy speed.

Knowledge of the rules arsenic a limb connected the track

Speaking connected The Inside Track podcast, Knowles pointed retired that Verstappen has a elaborate cognition of the sport's regulations and driving guidelines, which allows him to marque the astir of each the opportunities allowed.

"He has a really, truly bully knowing of the rules of the athletics and driving guidelines. He's made a existent creation of learning precisely what you tin and can't bash and however to usage it. It sometimes divides opinion, but I deliberation it's a show country similar immoderate other," Knowles said.

Knowles added that the rules are portion of the sports model and that navigating wrong them is arsenic important arsenic the velocity itself connected the track.

An illustration from Austin

The young Dutchman's quality to thrust wrong the rules - and to marque the astir of them - often sparks debate. One wide illustration was past year's US Grand Prix, erstwhile Lando Norris was penalized for trying to overtake Verstappen extracurricular the way limits. Although some near the track, Norris was fixed a five-second penalty, portion Max was past reminded of the wide rule.

"At the extremity of the day, you can't overtake extracurricular the achromatic line. It's a precise wide regularisation and I've been penalized for it myself. I don't recognize wherefore we request to look for changes successful the rules present erstwhile it's ever been similar that. I grew up successful karting, F3, F1 - you cognize you can't overtake extracurricular the achromatic line. The rules are similar that, I didn't constitute them, I conscionable travel them arsenic champion I can. Of course, sometimes you get caught, we've had that successful the past, but I conscionable use the rules and play with them."

Open narration with the team

Knowles emphasized that a large operator has nonstop entree to connection wrong the team.

“He takes everything seriously. We person precise unfastened conversations. He’s not the benignant of idiosyncratic who has to sidestep issues – helium tin beryllium precise direct, which I truly appreciate.”

Verstappen’s mastery of the rules, coupled with his blistering speed, makes him unsocial successful modern Formula 1. While immoderate volition find his moves controversial, others spot them arsenic intelligent usage of the resources the athletics provides. Either way, for the 26-year-old driver, knowing the rules is arsenic important arsenic pushing the throttle.