“That’s not possible”: Max Verstappen makes a shocking claim about racing with DRS

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen has said that he would like to race without DRS if given a choice.

After Baku, the FIA has decided to shorten the DRS Zones at the Miami International Circuit as well for the 2023 edition. In its initial running in 2022, Miami emerged as one of the best races for overtaking despite its street-circuit characteristic.

While speaking about the shortening of DRS and the current generation of F1 cars, Max Verstappen stated that they are too "stiff."

As per Autosport, he said:

“I would prefer of course that we could race without DRS, but that’s not possible. The cars are probably too heavy, they are too stiff and you can’t really run a kerb to try and find a different line.”

He added:

"I think the more downforce we generate - and that, of course, will always be every year - if you keep the rules the same it will be harder to pass."

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"You could do a few different kinds of techniques and lines but that is really, really hard nowadays" - Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen stated that it has become quite difficult for drivers to follow other cars in the low-speed corners as the current cars are too heavy and stiff.

He said:

"Because of the weight of the cars we have nowadays, because they're quite heavy, in the low speed it’s a bit harder to follow. As soon as you have a tiny moment with that weight, it becomes a bigger slide, it's harder on the tires so you overheat the tires more."

"And also with these new type of cars, you have to run them super stiff whereas I remember like 2015 or ‘16, you could sometimes [take] a few different lines, you could run a kerb because the cars were quite - well, not soft - but it's still a lot softer than what we run now. And you could do a few different kinds of techniques and lines but that is really, really hard nowadays because the cars just don't allow it."

Max Verstappen will look to bounce back in Miami after being thoroughly beaten by his teammate Sergio Perez in Baku.

He would look to set the pace from the off and not give the Mexican any chance. Since the DRS has been shortened, it will be helpful if Verstappen starts the race from the front and cruises home to consecutive wins in Miami.