X-rated rants mentioned as race engineer reveals Max Verstappen’s “real strength”

Gianpiero Lambiase has offered insight into what makes Max Verstappen truly special.

Red Bull driver Verstappen racked up his fourth consecutive Formula 1 championship at the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix.

He has overcome a sometimes troublesome RB20 which has meant his race engineer Lambiase has often been given an ear-full via team radio.

Lambiase told Sky Sports about their notorious rows: “You have chats with him outside of the tracks.

“What you hear on the broadcast is not necessarily Max, it’s just his adrenaline at the time.

“As much as he’s got bravado, he will absorb every piece of information. That’s his real strength.

“We can rely on him to always do the right thing.”

Team principal Christian Horner said: “He couldn’t do it without the support that he’s had from the team, the garage, the factory.

“GP takes flak on occasion - he gives as good as he gets!

“It’s that relationship between driver, engineer and team which allows you to achieve these kinds of results.”

Lambiase added: “This year has shared many similarities to 2021.

“It was getting pretty intense, at times. The buffer we had at the start of the year cemented it.

“He has taken another step which, for you guys, must be hard to believe.

“The effort he puts in in the office with us, as a crew…

“The respect he gives his fellow drivers, as well. We’ve seen flashes of it, but he doesn’t have to win everything every weekend.

“I am proud of him.”

'Among the all-time greats'

Verstappen’s four F1 titles have matched the feat of Sebastian Vettel, also with Red Bull.

Horner said: “When we did it for the first time with Seb, I thought we’d never repeat that.

“The win in 2021 was massive. To be standing here with Max having won four…

“He joins an elite group of champions. It puts him among the all-time greats.”

Horner described Verstappen: “He has an insane amount of natural talent and ability. He has more hunger than I’ve seen in any driver. Dedication, application, self-belief…

“That combination has created one of the most phenomenal drivers I’ve ever seen.”

Red Bull overcame internal scandal engulfing Horner, Helmut Marko, Verstappen and his father to win their latest drivers’ title.

Horner insists that Verstappen led the way from inside the car.

“The way he’s driven this year. When he gets in the car he gives 110% and he’s done that weekend after weekend,” Horner said.

“He leads the inspiration from inside the cockpit.”

Horner continued: “It has been a rollercoaster of a year.

“Max has been truly outstanding. We got off to a flying start but had a very difficult summer.

“He kept nailing results. He’s won eight grands prix, that’s more than double any other driver.

“He has just been outstanding, it’s been his best and hardest championship.

“He has shown maturity and delivered on days when the car wasn’t there.

“This one has been hard won. All credit to the men and women behind the scenes in Milton Keynes. It has been tough, the others have pushed us really hard. It has been, by far, our hardest challenge.”