Aston Martin Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen is not in favor of a proposed Formula 1 regulation set forth by Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner.
Aston Martin Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner recently made comments suggesting a rule change in Formula 1 that would neutralize qualifying engine modes, thus effectively eliminating Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport’s “party mode”.
Horner’s comments came as a result of the fact that the speed of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton in qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix a couple of weeks ago literally blew everyone else away en route to him expanding on his all-time pole record with his 73rd career pole position to open up the 2018 Formula 1 season.
Hamilton took the pole for the 2018 Australian Grand Prix with a lap at 81.164 seconds around the 16-turn, 5.303-kilometer (3.295-mile) Albert Park street circuit in Melbourne, Australia. His lap time, which was a new track record, was more than six-tenths of a second faster than the qualifying lap of second place qualifier Kimi Raikkonen of Scuderia Ferrari.
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However, Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen disagrees with Horner that a new rule should be implemented that effectively prohibits Mercedes from utilizing the extra power stage that they have reserved for the final stages of qualifying, thus effectively prohibiting them from reaching their full potential in qualifying from a speed standpoint.
Here is what Verstappen had to say about the matter, according to ESPN.
"“Honestly no. Because they just do a better job than everyone else so why should you take it away? It’s not fair to them, but it’s maybe up to F1 to maybe change the rules to make it more difficult to keep developing things and stuff like that. You certainly shouldn’t take it away because they are really, really good. It’s unfair to them.”"
Also according to ESPN, here is what Verstappen had to say when asked about Horner’s frustrations in regard to Mercedes having that extra speed that Red Bull Racing do not.
"“Well, same for me. But you have to also be honest and you have to be just clear about it they’re just doing a better job than everyone else. Otherwise, I think we should just use the same engines. But that’s not what everybody wants.”"
Red Bull Racing obviously do not have this extra power or Horner would have never made his comments to begin with, but Verstappen, unlike Horner, essentially believes that Mercedes should not pay a penalty for doing a better job than the rest of the field in the form of no longer being allowed to use their extra power stage in the final stages qualifying.
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Do you agree with Max Verstappen that Mercedes should not have to be restricted from racing their full speed potential just because they are doing a better job than the rest of the field, or do you agree with Christian Horner that a rule should be implemented to neutralize qualifying engine modes?