Max Verstappen quizzed on Adrian Newey's claims that Red Bull RB20's growth curve has flatlined

Max Verstappen believes that Red Bull’s RB20 still has more potential in terms of performance, contradicting chief designer Adrian Newey’s recent claims.

Speaking to media including Sportskeeda ahead of the Chinese GP, the Dutchman felt that the car had not flatlined in terms of performance and it was a work in progress.

Newey mentioned in an interview with Racing News 365 that the RB20’s performance is going to flatline. The British aerodynamic wizard felt that the current regulations were restrictive and that Red Bull were struggling to find performance gains.

For many who criticized the boring track action and dominance in the sport, the Red Bull Chief of Design’s words are good news as they indicate the cars converging. However, the reigning champion felt otherwise and asserted that there was still more performance to extract from the RB20.

Asked by Sportskeeda about Newey’s analyses of the RB20, Max Verstappen said:

“Well I mean I do think that there is a lot more to come from the car, I think that's why the engineering route that they took on this car, that they see more potential from it. But at the end of the day, it is difficult to know how much. We all know that of course and we would already put it on the car straight away. It's a continuous work in progress I guess.”

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Max Verstappen expresses his mixed views on the sprint format in China

Max Verstappen believes the new Parc Ferme rules that allow teams to change setups and elements on the car between sessions are a refresher.

In the previous sprint format, the teams could not change anything on their cars from FP1 to the race. Commenting on the new changes, the Dutchman felt the rules allowed teams to not have a disadvantage if they got their setups wrong.

Although the Dutchman has never been a fan of the sprint weekends, he welcomed the tweaks made to the format. However, his preference was to have a normal race weekend in China, where the sport returns after a five-race hiatus.

Asked about his views on the changes to the sprint format, Max Verstappen said, via the aforementioned source:

“Well I mean it makes more sense I think. I think the most annoying bit about it before was that after FP1 you would go into qualifying. And if you wouldn’t nail the setup, you are stuck with it for the rest of the weekend and that can really hurt your weekend. And at least now we have few more opportunities to try and make it perfect. I think that's better for racing overall.”

Asked if the sprint format in China is more for business reasons rather than racing, Max Verstappen said:

“Of course we haven’t been here in a couple of years so it probably also spices up things a little bit more. And a bit more unknown things can happen I guess as well when you are not well prepared. So I guess it's always a bit more interesting for the fans. Let’s say it like that.

“Not necessarily there should be a reason. Ideally personally I would’ve preferred a normal weekend here. But at least now we get to try out the new format. And hopefully that will be better. And I think it will be better than what we had before.”

Verstappen believes that the new sprint format mixes up the grid at the Shanghai International Circuit and could throw a spectacle for the fans. The new sprint weekend format features a sprint qualifying straight after the free practice as opposed to the main qualifying that was previously held on a Friday. The sprint race will be held on Saturday followed by the main race qualifying.