The tensions between Max Verstappen and Red Bull came to light in Canada, to the point that Ralf Schumacher now believes the Dutchman must prove that his technical direction was the right one.
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Even though he secured his first podium of the season in Canada, Max Verstappen is far from leaving Montreal satisfied.
Throughout the weekend at the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit, the four-time world champion repeatedly expressed frustration regarding the behavior of his RB22, especially after setup changes decided by the team.
The Dutch driver felt that Red Bull had ignored his recommendations concerning the technical direction to follow.
After qualifying, Verstappen notably expressed his incomprehension regarding the choices made by the Austrian team.
“I have already tried this direction several times before, but it never works. They are convinced that this path works, whereas it is clearly the opposite,” he declared.
Ralf Schumacher talks about internal tensions
For Ralf Schumacher, Verstappen’s public statements clearly reveal internal tensions at Red Bull.
Interviewed on the Backstage Boxengasse podcast, the former German driver nevertheless believes that this type of discussion should remain private.
“Max did not mince his words. He clearly said: ‘I told them everything was wrong.’ You can clearly see that there are tensions,” Schumacher explained.
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The German nevertheless admits to appreciating the world champion’s frankness.
“In a way, I like that he openly says what he thinks and shares all this publicly. But honestly, this kind of thing should remain within the team.”
An ideal opportunity for Verstappen
Despite this tense situation, Schumacher considers that Verstappen now has a perfect opportunity to prove that his approach is the right one.
According to him, Red Bull will probably have to listen more to their star driver in the upcoming races.
“His first mission now is to get this car back on the right track,” Schumacher said.
“The team should listen to him. This time, they didn’t, so he now has the chance to show everyone — but especially himself and the team — that his proposals really work to get back to the front.”
Red Bull under pressure before Monaco
Even though the Canadian podium is an encouraging sign for Red Bull, the difficulties of the RB22 remain obvious compared to Mercedes and Ferrari.
The car’s behavior continues to frustrate Verstappen, particularly in certain driving phases where the Dutchman feels he is losing confidence in the overall balance of the car.
With Monaco approaching, Red Bull will have to quickly find answers to prevent internal tensions from growing even more around their four-time world champion.
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