"It becomes a little bit lazy"- Max Verstappen discloses why Red Bull's car faced understeer issues in early part of 2022 F1 season

Max Verstappen is more confident with his car weight loss, which has made it more agile as the season has progressed. The Dutch driver suggested that the balance of the car was affected due to the weight distribution, which translated into the overall drivability.

Speaking to onsite media, including Sportskeeda ahead of the 2022 Italian GP, the Dutchman highlighted the difficulty with his car at the beginning of the season saying:

“It's been really good, of course, the last few races, but I already said before, it was mainly just because of the weight. The car was very heavily overweight initially, and that doesn't help the balance of the car, because it becomes a little bit lazy, and also [the weight distribution is] in the wrong place, and that's why it understeered quite a bit.”

The RB18 was overweight and the Dutchman struggled with the car in the first half of the season, which was reflected in the performance against Ferrari. Earlier in the year, Max Verstappen was heard complaining about the weight of the car. He went on to explain Monza, saying that the balance of the car was severely affected by the weight distribution making the drive sluggish. Post summer-break, the reigning champion's car has been stripped off its excessive weight, making it the most dominant force on the grid.

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Max Verstappen credits his success to being loyal to Red Bull

The Dutch driver admitted to enjoying Red Bull’s resurgence to the top of his tenure with them as a driver. Max Verstappen feels his decision to stick with one camp and not chase quick success made him a part of the process of the team’s journey back to the top of the competition in the sport.

Narrating his journey with the Milton Keynes squad, Max Verstappen said:

“It is really enjoyable to be part of the team, and it is a really good team atmosphere. And I always find that that's the most important. Even if you're not winning, if the team atmosphere is good, then you can improve a lot over time, and you have to be patient as well, you cannot force things. That's what I always learned."

His debut with Red Bull’s sister team Toro Rosso at the age of 17 in 2015 stirred controversy but his win the following year at the 2016 Spanish GP promised a success story. Although it has taken Max Verstappen seven years of his F1 career to win a championship, it is a feat he shares with another world champion, Kimi Raikkonen.