Verstappen would never sign two number one drivers: Then you get this
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Red Bull will not be considered the leading contender for the Constructors’ Championship in 2027, but Max Verstappen will certainly be among the favourites for the drivers’ title. The Dutchman continues to deliver outstanding performances, has a very good car and enjoys the team’s unequivocal support.
Brazil also demonstrated just how firmly Max holds sway at Red Bull. His team-mate Isack Hadjar had to make way for him, and although he later tentatively asked whether he would get second place back, his request was doomed from the outset.
Verstappen was handed second place by his team-mate without any resistance – something he himself has never done and probably never will. That approach certainly has its merits, however, and the incident between the Ferrari drivers in Mexico gave Max a compelling argument. “If you simply had one clear number one and one clear number two, they would have gone through that corner in first and second, and they would have finished first and second as well. Or maybe first and third, but that’s fine too. As a team, you’re still scoring good points,” Max said after arriving in Brazil.
The Dutchman favours a clear number one and number two within a team. Although Red Bull rejected that approach in its early days, it increasingly began moving in that direction after Verstappen arrived. The situation in Brazil made it clear that the four-time champion will always take priority.
“I’ve said it before. People very often disagree with me, but if I were a team principal – if I had my own team – I would never sign two number-one drivers, because then you get this,” Verstappen declared.
“Then this is normal. One isn’t going to give way to the other, because of course they both think they can win, and that’s how I am too. So if I were a team principal, I would never go for two number-one drivers. Some people completely disagree with that, but that’s fine as well,” Max said.
He was also asked whether that philosophy influences his career decisions. Would he, for example, sign for a team where he did not have clearly stated number-one status? “Sometimes you might not have a choice in that either, but [having two lead drivers] does make everything more complicated,” Verstappen replied.
“If you have a good car, then you don’t necessarily need that either, two number-one drivers. Just a decent number two. Throughout Formula 1 history, it’s also always been clear that something like that works perfectly well, even for years,” the Dutchman added.
