Horner blasts Wolff’s "total lack of understanding" with Verstappen suggestion

At Zandvoort Mercedes boss Wolff suggested that the “bizarre” 1.3 second gap between Verstappen and Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez in qualifying could be down to the RB19 being designed around the Dutchman’s driving style. 

“We’ve seen that Max has destroyed every single team-mate that was with him,” Wolff said. "Whether or not it’s his ability to create a car around himself that is very tricky to control, but fast if you can, and it makes those gaps, I haven’t heard any explanations, but… Odd.”

Two-time world champion Verstappen hit back at Wolff and labelled his comments as “bull****”, insisting he simply “adapts to what I need for the car to go quick”. 

Asked for his own reaction to Wolff’s suggestion, Horner said: “I completely agree with Max, I think it shows a total lack of understanding of how a race car and team develop, if Toto thinks we are developing a car around a single driver. 

“You develop a car to be as quick as you can, and sometimes quick cars are difficult cars. That’s what has historically been the case. The good drivers adapt. You see it in wet conditions, mixed conditions, varied conditions, the elite adapt quickly. 

“And I think that is one of his key skillsets is his ability to adapt to the feeling and the grip levels that a car gives him. But there’s certainly no direction to say we tailor something to suit one specific driver. 

“We just try to design and built the fastest car that we can, that our tools, our simulation, our wind tunnel provide us with that direction.” 

And Horner fully believes that Verstappen is cementing himself among the best of all time in F1.

“What Max Verstappen is achieving is phenomenal,” he said. “He’s an exceptional talent. 

“What he’s managed to do in the last few years has been quite remarkable. With the amount of victories that he has and the records he’s been breaking. If he hopefully defends his drivers’ title this year then he joins some very illustrious names in the sport. 

“It’s always very difficult to judge against those. We’re fortunate that the most successful driver of all time is still competing and extending their tenure in F1. 

“It’s always difficult to compare generations but you have to start to include him in the bracket of some of the greatest the sport has seen.”