Smaller entourage for Verstappen pleases Horner, Red Bull
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says Max Verstappen’s “slightly different approach” with a smaller entourage supporting him for the Canadian Grand Prix saw him “very immersed” in the team on his way to a much-needed podium.
Horner confirmed Verstappen had opted to alter his support network at the Canadian Grand Prix, with fewer personal helpers, in a move to try to change things after a run of difficult races with six high-profile incidents at the past six rounds.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says Max Verstappen’s “slightly different approach” with a smaller entourage supporting him for the Canadian Grand Prix saw him “very immersed” in the team on his way to a much-needed podium.
Horner confirmed Verstappen had opted to alter his support network at the Canadian Grand Prix, with fewer personal helpers, in a move to try to change things after a run of difficult races with six high-profile incidents at the past six rounds.
Verstappen bounced back by topping every free practice session before converting his third place in qualifying to a podium result for Red Bull which lead Horner to praise the 20-year-old’s approach to the race weekend.
“His approach here has been slightly different, he’s been here on his own,” Horner said. “I think he’s done a super job this weekend.
“In any sport, you see sportsmen have periods where things don’t go quite as well as others and that’s been very public for him. Hopefully his luck is about to change.
“It’s the first race I think he’s done on his own. It’s something different. Whether it contributed anyway is impossible to say. He is still evolving and maturing as a driver as he gains more experience. It is something that will be between him and his team.
“He’s been very immersed in everything the team has been doing this weekend. All credit to him for putting together a very strong weekend and to finish within a tenth of a second of Valtteri [Bottas].”
Verstappen father Jos was present at the Canadian Grand Prix but it is thought fewer members of the 20-year-old’s support network consisting of friends and helpers made the trip to Montreal.
The Red Bull driver secured his second podium finish of the year as he looks to kick-start his 2018 F1 campaign which had been stalled by crashes with his teammate Daniel Ricciardo in Azerbaijan, plus collisions with both Sebastian Vettel in China and Lewis Hamilton in Bahrain and a shunt in FP3 in Monaco which forced him to miss qualifying.
