Laurent Mekies at the Italian Grand Prix, Photo: Race Pictures

'Verstappen didn't make such a big difference in Monza'

15:48, 17 Sep

byNorberto Mujica

Dr. Riccardo Ceccarelli, owner of Formula Medicine, believes that Max Verstappen did not make the entirety of the difference in Red Bull Racing's Italian Grand Prix success.

Ceccarelli, who also fronts as mental coach at Formula Medicine, an Italian company devoted to enhancing athletic performance with a heavier inclination toward motorsports, has beared witness Verstappen's qualifying prowess before.

A prowess, though, that would become subjugated by McLaren's dominance on Sundays during the races, the Italian observed.

At Monza, though, it was an entirely different story. Having been instructed to give the lead to Lando Norris after what Red Bull interpreted was a first-lap breach, the Dutchman regained the place with an overpowering manoeuvre on the outside of the Briton at Turn 1. And from thereon, he would remain unchallenged until the checkered flag dropped.

This feat, Ceccarelli believes cannot be attributed to Verstappen's talent alone.

"The driver at Monza cannot make such a clear difference in the race. The track, with many straights and three chicanes, is not the most technical of all the circuits."

Although he refrains to assure Red Bull has suddenly come back, and that Mekies' integration as team principal has been the deciding factor in the Austrian team's recent surge, he suggested that it could very well be the case.

Revealing he'd had the opportunity to chat with Red Bull's Head of Racing and Verstappen's Race Engineer, Ceccarelli sensed hope in the British Italian's words. "I felt he was optimistic about the future as well, so, perhaps, they are working well behind the scenes".

Red Bull remains coy of issuing comeback verdict

As far as Verstappen is concerned, his victory at Monza was track dependant, stating that the Red Bull outift tends to do better on circuits where a more low to medium downforce setup is required, as the team's Technical Director Pierre Waché also refrained from issuing a verdict on Red Bull's supposed rebirth.

Red Bull's top advisor, Helmut Marko having commended Mekies for the improvements made to the team's atmosphere and the way the engineers are now listening more to the Dutch World Champion instead of simply following the data stemming from the simulation tools, was a bit more optimistic in his assessment.

Are Red Bull back? This weekend in Azerbaijan the Milton Keynes-based squad may be able to confirm or negate the claims that have been put forth following the Dutchman's win in Italy a fortnight ago.