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Former F1 driver Mark Webber believes that Max Verstappen and Red Bull are tied together in a “crazy good marriage” that has been incredibly beneficial for both parties.
Webber, who himself drove for the Austrian outfit in the early 2010s, claimed that Verstappen “embodies” the Red Bull brand and felt that it would be hard to imagine the Dutchman driving for any other team on the current F1 grid.
Speaking to Formule1 ahead the 2022 F1 French GP, Webber said:
“It’s very hard to imagine Max [Verstappen] driving for another team.”
He added:
“Max and Red Bull, that’s just a crazy good marriage when you look at how they perform and what a great banner he is for the Red Bull brand. The ‘Verstappen style’ suits Red Bull perfectly; he embodies what Red Bull stands for.”
Possibly one of the greatest drivers of his generation, Max Verstappen is already the second most successful driver in the Austrian team's history.
The Dutchman has been with Red Bull for the entirety of his F1 career, and since winning his maiden title with the team last season, he has expressed a desire to stay with the team until retirement.
Red Bull “needs extraordinary drivers” like Max Verstappen to remain competitive
Former Red Bull driver Christian Klien believes the team needs extraordinary drivers like Max Verstappen to remain competitive and challenge for titles and victories in F1. Since the team is essentially a marketing vehicle for Red Bull’s energy drinks' business, Klein felt that it could not afford to be uncompetitive for long.
Speaking to Formule1, Klein said:
“Red Bull is only in it to be competitive and to win. And for that you need not only a good team, but also an extraordinary driver.”
He added:
“Not everyone can achieve what Max has achieved for Red Bull in recent years. He and the team need each other to win more titles in the future.”
Since losing Sebastian Vettel to Ferrari at the start of the turbo hybrid era, combined with a lack of a good engine partner, meant that Red Bull was left powerless in the championship fight. Although Daniel Ricciardo briefly emerged as a potential replacement for Vettel, he was never able to drag the Austrian team to the front.
However, Red Bull’s early gamble on Max Verstappen started to bear fruit, starting in 2019, when the Dutchman proved that he was capable of taking the fight to Ferrari and Mercedes if he was given the right machinery. The substantial gains that Honda made in the subsequent seasons were paired perfectly with Red Bull’s typically excellent chassis, allowing the team and Verstappen to finally realize their world championship dreams.
