Ex-F1 star reveals HUGE Verstappen and Newey 'issue' amid Red Bull problem

Max Verstappen has dominated in Red Bull's RB19 so far this season

Matthew Hobkinson Lead Editor

F1 Editor & Journalist

Monday 17 July 2023 11:27

Mark Webber has claimed that putting Adrian Newey and Max Verstappen together causes "an issue", after the former Formula 1 driver revealed that he attributes Red Bull's dominance this season to the team's designer.

Verstappen has been cruising ahead of the rest of the field this season in the rocketship design of the RB19. Team-mate Sergio Perez has claimed victory on the two occasions that the Dutchman failed to do so – in Jeddah and Baku – but since then it has been plain sailing for the 25-year-old.

There is no denying the natural talent that the two-time world champion has, but such is the speed of his Red Bull car this season, many have questioned how much of his success can be put down to driver ability alone.

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And for Webber, who drove for Red Bull between 2007 to 2013, he believes that Newey is to thank for Verstappen's extreme dominance of the sport.

Webber: Newey to thank for Red Bull success

Adrian Newey has played a vital role in Red Bull's recent success

He told ITV: “I think it’s a problem. When you put Max Verstappen and Adrian Newey together, we have an issue.

“Adrian Newey [has] over 200 grand prix victories now as a designer. Adrian has a few more years, by all accounts, he said he is starting to go towards the end [of his career].

“If Adrian wasn’t here, the Championship would be quite tight.”

Heading into the Hungarian Grand Prix this weekend, Verstappen currently holds a 99-point lead over Perez in the driver standings, while Red Bull themselves sit 208 points adrift of Mercedes in constructors' championship.