“That would be wrong”: F1 will not act against Max Verstappen and Red Bull dominance, insists Stefano Domenicali

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has claimed that stopping Max Verstappen and Red Bull's dominance in the sport would be wrong. There have been many talks around the paddock and in the fanbase about whether F1 and the FIA should place certain rules to curb the kind of dominance that Verstappen has been able to achieve, mainly to improve competitiveness at the front.

Speaking on Channel 4, Domenicali said that dominance, like the one Max Verstappen and Red Bull are enjoying, has always been in the sport. Furthermore, he praised Verstappen, saying how great a job he has been doing in Formula 1.

He said:

“I think if you look back at the dominance of a driver or a team, it’s always been a part of F1. We need to consider one thing that for sure, Max Verstappen has done and is doing an incredible job. We need to recognize that."

Furthermore, Domenicali also pointed out that the number of overtakes and close gaps between drivers in 2023 has been incredible. He does not want F1 to be seen as a sport that is trying to stop a team or player from excelling.

He concluded:

“But if you see today at the gaps in qualified, it’s just incredible. If you look at the numbers of overtaking we are having the last two seasons, we are at the top of the scale. We cannot be seen as a sport that is trying to do something against someone, that would be wrong.”

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Race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase on his relationship with Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen has always had the strong yet calm voice of race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase in his ears during all his F1 races. The Italian-British has been with the three-time world champion for quite some time now and has built a strong bond with each other.

Speaking on the Talking Bulls podcast, Lambiase said:

"I think we know how to manage ourselves out of a difficult situation and also enjoy the better situations, perhaps until three years ago when the car wasn't quite as competitive as we the team would've liked, especially Max because at that point you could see his frustration coming through already that he wasn't able to compete for the Championship and we had a few ups and downs."

He added:

"Since 2020, 2021, it was so intense and the bond was cemented that year and then 2022, 2023 has just been a continuation of that, I see him as my little brother."

Max Verstappen is often seen with his race engineer before and after a session, discussing several aspects of the car, the strategy, and more.