Yesterday at 10:40
Ralf Schumacher believes Max Verstappen could compete for the F1
drivers' championship with Racing Bulls, arguing the Faenza-based
squad has a better "base" to build from than Red Bull. The six-time
grand prix winner feels a "better compromise" can be struck with
the energy drinks manufacturer's second team's car, making it more
versatile across an F1 season. How Verstappen might fare at Racing
Bulls has been widely discussed over the course of the current
campaign because, whilst the Dutchman is third in the standings,
Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar have both scored considerably more
points than Yuki Tsunoda in the second RB21. The Japanese driver
has taken a meagre nine points since being promoted to Red Bull in
place of Lawson after two rounds. Over that span, the New Zealander
has scored 20. Hadjar, off the back of a maiden podium at
Zandvoort, has secured 37. The disparity in points has grown to the
extent that it is now being suggested Verstappen ought to spend a
session in the VCARB 02 to help paint a clearer picture of relative
performance between the two cars. Racing Bulls boss Alan Permane
shot down that idea at Zandvoort, but the suggestion that the
four-time F1 drivers' champion might stand a better chance of
further title glory in a Racing Bulls has nonetheless persisted. It
is a hypothetical Schumacher would back next season, when F1
overhauls its chassis and power unit regulations. "It is so hard to
estimate what is going to happen next year," the former Jordan,
Williams and Toyota driver told Sky Sport Germany's F1 podcast
Backstage Boxengasse . "The engines are the same at both Racing
Bulls and Red Bull, but obviously, both also have the opportunity
to build a great car. "And I believe the base at Racing Bulls this
year is almost better than Red Bull's." The 50-year-old highlighted
the wider operating window Racing Bulls is able to work with as a
key factor in this thinking. Red Bull has tended to produce cars
with more extreme characteristics, which Verstappen prefers, but
even the Dutchman has needed to smooth those sharp edges over the
past couple of seasons as the Milton Keynes squad has begun to
falter. "I would almost go so far as to say that Max Verstappen
could theoretically even compete for the world championship with
that car," he added. "I know I will be stoned again by some now,
but I would almost say that, because the car has just a wider
set-up, so you can do well with it on any circuit. And I think a
better compromise can be found."
