Verstappen cautiously hopeful about RB16B: 'Clear differences from last year'

Next season will be an important year for Max Verstappen. The Dutchman is driving a Honda engine for the last year and this year Red Bull Racing seems to be very close to Mercedes. In the closing stages of 2020 they were already very close and this resulted in an impressive victory in Abu Dhabi. For 2021, expectations are high and the Dutchman is looking forward to kicking off the season in Bahrain. 

“It’s always good to be back in the car. I like the break but once you’re standing here and you see the car ready to go, you’re just itching to get back in, especially to get into a Formula One car. The first time you go out of the pits is always such a great feeling. Now, I’m just looking forward to race weekends again," Verstappen explained on Red Bull's site.

Noticeable differences compared to last year

At Silverstone, the Dutchman got his first taste of the new RB16B, but not before he got his first metres in the 2019 RB15.

“Initially I started with the RB15 to just get into it again after the break, to get a few laps in and then I jumped into the RB16B. It was a filming day but it’s useful to get comfortable with the car, with the engine and trying to make things run smoothly and try to be the best prepared you can be to go testing in Bahrain.”

Because Verstappen was first allowed to make some metres in the RB15, there was a clear difference to be felt between the two cars. Since 2019, Red Bull have continued to develop a lot and, according to the Dutchman, this was noticeable.

“There are changes and you can feel the difference to last year. The floor is quite different and so the car is always going to behave differently. But filming days are not about set-up work as that will be done in Bahrain," concluded the Dutchman.