Communication between a driver and their race engineer is a fundamental aspect of Formula 1. Clear and effective messages can greatly assist both the driver and the team. In the latest episode of Talking Bull, Max Verstappen talked about how he approaches his team radio communications with his engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, while also criticizing a certain type of communication that we often hear between Leclerc and Xavi Marcos.
Max Verstappen – Gianpiero Lambiase: It’s All About Mutual Understanding
During the interview, Max Verstappen was asked about the secret to consistently extracting maximum performance from the driver-car combination, which he shares with Lambiase. The three-time world champion believes that a successful team requires mutual understanding and chemistry among the people involved.
“I don’t think there’s a real secret, but I think you have to get along very well and understand what each one wants from the other,” Verstappen said. “I believe that today, we have grown in our roles. I hardly need to say anything anymore. For instance, if I mention having a bit of understeer or oversteer, GP [Lambiase] already knows how to change the car. He knows me and how I drive, and that took time. That’s why I’m always against swapping race engineers; they are crucial for performance.”
Clear and Precise Team Radio, What Xavi Marcos and Charles Leclerc Lack?
Throughout the season, we have often heard Max Verstappen and Gianpiero Lambiase engage in rather “heated” communications, in which the Dutchman has not concealed his frustration in certain situations. However, the three-time world champion wanted to clarify the reality of these interactions.
“Respect is very important. People sometimes don’t really understand the kind of relationship we have. For example, if we talk on the radio and we’re a bit angry, they think we’re arguing, but that’s not the case. It’s just that we want the best out there. Naturally, sometimes I’ve raised my voice on the radio because I’m full of adrenaline while driving. Of course, GP also wants the best, and that’s why we sometimes have rather fiery conversations.”
“This is how I like to approach our races. If I were angry or unhappy with a certain situation, and he responded with ‘Copy that’ or ‘Thank you very much for your message,’ I would be like, ‘Friend, what are you telling me?’ We are both involved in this project, and we want to achieve the best possible result.”
Show your support for Scuderia Ferrari with official merchandise collection! Click here to enter the F1 online Store and shop securely! And also get your F1 tickets for every race with VIP hospitality and unparalleled insider access. Click here for the best offers to support Charles and Carlos from the track!
The final point highlighted by Max Verstappen is what some have often criticized in the team radio exchanges between Charles Leclerc and Xavi Marcos. The Spanish engineer frequently responds with messages like “Copy” or “We’ll come back to you,” which is exactly what Verstappen mentioned he does not want from his race engineer. Once the video was released, on social media, the belief started circulating that Max Verstappen may have taken Xavi Marcos as a “negative” example for his speech.
Source: f1ingenerale
Leave a Reply