Newey listens to Verstappen's feedback: 'He couldn't get closer'

After the blunder in Bahrain, Red Bull Racing managed to recover in Saudi Arabia, with pole position for Sergio Perez and the first win of the season for Max Verstappen. The Milton Keynes-based team ran into reliability problems in the first race of the season, but things went much better in Jeddah. Adrian Newey was therefore relieved after the race.

On the F1 Nation podcast, Red Bull's top executive explained how this season's new regulations have ensured that there is still a lot unknown about the new cars, but that it also provides opportunities to develop a lot this season. "At the moment we are lucky that there are two teams, Ferrari and ourselves, with very similar performances."

Newey still sees room for improvement

"That’s what's giving the good racing." The new rules allow the cars to follow each other a lot better and there is also more action between them. In the race, the teams are managing to overtake each other with DRS more and more often, which means there is not only more action, but also more excitement.

"Generally I think the drivers do feel it is a bit easier to follow, although Max said he could get within two seconds, and then he couldn't get any closer," with which Newey refers to the gap between the Dutchman and Charles Leclerc. In the end, Verstappen managed to pass the Ferrari driver in the closing stages and thus secure his first victory of 2022.