Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Red Bull Racing technical director Pierre Wache has insisted it is not his “goal” to make Max Verstappen happy, following the Dutchman’s strong criticism of Formula 1’s new regulations.
Verstappen has been among the most vocal drivers regarding the power unit changes, describing the new era as “anti-racing” and comparing it to “Formula E on steroids” because of the high levels of energy management required. Under the new rules, power units are now split 50:50 between internal combustion and electrical energy, making efficiency management significantly more complex.
The changes have forced drivers to adopt unconventional driving styles to extract lap time. They are no longer able to push flat-out as in the original turbo-hybrid era, and even qualifying laps are affected by the need to recharge batteries and deploy energy strategically across a single lap.
When asked about short-term solutions to make Verstappen more comfortable with the situation, Wache delivered a blunt response.
“It’s not my goal to make him happy,” said Wache at the Bahrain International Circuit during the first official pre-season test. “We can make him happy by winning the race.
“My job and the job of the team, at my level, is to make sure that we give him the tools so that he’s able to compete at the front.”
Despite his criticism, Verstappen is already leading the way in energy management. He has adopted a strategy of harvesting more energy through corners by using lower gears—sometimes even first gear—to keep engine revs high. Rival drivers and teams have started to copy the tactic, although there are concerns it may not be sustainable across a full season due to increased strain on gearboxes and power units.
Wache emphasised that the regulations themselves fall outside his direct responsibilities, with his main focus remaining on improving the car’s performance.
“The regulation itself and how the car design is, in terms of how we feel with the car, due to this regulation, is an outside area,” he explained.
“It’s an FIA discussion outside of us—we can participate in that, but the main purpose and the main focus is to make the car better.”
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