"First feel of the car" - Max Verstappen on importance of pre-season shakedown in Silverstone

Max Verstappen reflected on the pre-season shakedown of his 2021 title challenger that won him his championship. In a season review video by Red Bull F1, the Dutchman recounted the first feel of his car to team principal Christian Horner at the Milton Keynes factory.

Describing the first taste of his 2021 title-winning car, Verstappen said:

“It was very interesting to get the first read. Of course, you don’t have the particular right tires, but at least the first feel of the car, getting everything up to speed. When you think of it now, it's a real special moment.”

Admiring a picture of his winning machine in the Silverstone circuit pit-lane, Max Verstappen described how the preseason shakedown moment was irrelevant at the time. When reflected upon now, however, it has a unique place in his championship campaign. The initial shakedown laps at the Silverstone circuit are where the Dutchman acquainted himself with his new office before he kickstarted his 2021 championship campaign.

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Max Verstappen topped 2021 F1 season power rankings

F1 released power rankings for the overall season, where Max Verstappen topped the charts. Both the expert judges and fans voted for the Dutchman, who finished outside the top 2 only four times in 22 races. The newly crowned F1 champion's dominating statistics helped him seal the number one spot in the power rankings.

Max Verstappen’s overall power ranking score was an 8.8 followed by Lewis Hamilton, who scored an 8.36. The Briton, however, had more performances and finishes outside the top 3, as compared to the Dutchman. The seven-time world champion's performance in Monaco, where he finished seventh, and his 15th place finish in Azerbaijan cost him votes.

Meanwhile, Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz might have finished the season with a P5 in the drivers' championship. In the eyes of the voters, however, the Spaniard was worthy of another "podium" with P3 in the power rankings. The 27-year-old beat his team-mate, the Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc, by a comfortable margin in both the tables.

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