Former driver sees Verstappen's vulnerability: 'Only this way is he fast'

“Max is naturally unique,” Albers begin in the Formula 1 podcast of De Telegraaf about the exceptional qualities of the four-time world champion.

“This guy is a huge natural talent but in his own way. You see in Austria, but actually for years, that he has a completely different driving style than almost every other driver. It's really remarkable to see,” he explains.

According to Albers, people sometimes think too lightly of Verstappen's unique ability. “This guy can drive with an incredibly aggressive front, making the rear of the car almost unable to keep up,” he explains.

However, he quickly adds a caveat: “Only in this way is he fast.”

“We have seen in the past that Sergio Perez was faster when the character of the car was different,” continues the former Formula 1 turned analyst.

“It was impossible for Perez to be faster, because Max is a much more significant talent, but you see what happens when the car does not fit your driving style well.”

After the much-discussed departure of Adrian Newey to Aston Martin, technical director Pierre Waché now has the daunting task of improving the RB21 with his squad.

Albers wonders to what extent Red Bull Racing can manage to do that. “There are supposed to be a lot of updates in the pipeline. Well, a few have arrived, but you see that they're still not there,” he concludes.

About the updates, talking to GPblog among others over the weekend, the four-time world champion said: "There are bits coming. Is it enough to challenge McLaren? I'm not sure yet. Probably not. But, I also don't want to sound depressed. I know that everyone in the team always gives it 100%."