Max Verstappen Answers F1 Driver Questions | Tech Support | WIRED

Max Verstappen offers an insider’s view of Formula 1, revealing that teams like Red Bull run billions of simulations before a race to perfect strategy, while drivers rely on both onboard footage and endless sim practice to sharpen overtaking and racecraft. He dismisses claims that wet races are boring, insists Baku is statistically the most exciting track, and credits F1’s U.S. boom to Netflix, lockdowns, and expanded American races. The difference between good and great drivers, he says, is consistent performance under pressure, and while elite fitness lets drivers focus on strategy, mental prep can be as simple as warming up and playing reaction games. He also highlights F1’s unique engineering variety, notes that simulators are essential with him spending roughly 20–25 days a year in one, and explains that tire strategy often dictates pit stops, with the undercut favored except on low-wear circuits like Baku. Ultimately, Verstappen emphasizes that breaking into F1 means simply being better than everyone else, and that the most cherished moments are winning your first race and first title.

• ▶ 0:14 Red Bull runs over 8 billion simulations before a race to prepare strategy, including the best time to pit.
• ▶ 0:38 Drivers do review onboard footage of others and themselves, but old laps are only a reference since cars, weather, and wind change every year.
• ▶ 1:12 Max’s top advice for improving overtaking is to practice a lot—in real life or sim racing—because more racing builds experience in defending and overtaking.
• ▶ 1:21 Max guesses Baku is the statistically most exciting F1 track, because "a lot can happen there, good or bad."
• ▶ 1:51 He strongly rejects the claim that wet races are boring, saying cars are not slow and there is racing most of the time.
• ▶ 2:06 Max says he enjoys both wet and dry races, noting entertainment depends heavily on when rain arrives during the race.
• ▶ 2:25 Max attributes F1's U.S. growth to the Netflix series, pandemic lockdowns, and ownership's push including three U.S. races.
• ▶ 2:54 The key difference between a good and great driver is consistent performance under pressure.
• ▶ 3:14 Max refuses to reveal his biggest weakness, saying you never publicly admit such things and should quietly work on them.
• ▶ 3:25 F1 drivers need elite fitness because races last ~1.5 hours under heavy physical forces, and being fit lets them focus on strategy rather than just holding on to the car.
• ▶ 3:47 Mental preparation varies by driver; Max keeps it minimal, only warming up muscles and playing tiny reaction games, and says a driver can easily just sit in the car and go.
• ▶ 4:33 F1 cars differ both visibly and underneath, with almost everything designed uniquely, and this variety is what makes the sport special as teams compete with different solutions.
• ▶ 5:40 Breaking into F1 requires simply being better than others, with most drivers progressing from go-karting up through the ranks.
• ▶ 6:05 Winning your first race and first title are the most memorable, "very special moments" for any driver.
• ▶ 6:30 Older 1980s/90s F1 cars were slower than modern ones, but the performance gap is normal due to regulations and growing knowledge.
• ▶ 7:31 F1 drivers can't practice in the real car often, so they rely heavily on simulators—Max spends roughly 20–25 days a year in the sim, with days acting like a 9-to-5 job.
• ▶ 8:10 Tire strategy dictates pit stops: the undercut is usually preferred, especially on high tire-degradation tracks, while the overcut can work where tire wear is low, like Baku.
• ▶ 9:47 The 2026 cars will be very different to drive, with a completely new engine, meaning a big adjustment for everyone and significant uncertainty for teams.

• ▶ 0:00 Intro & Strategy Questions (0:00 - 1:24) - Max opens by answering internet questions on pit strategy, onboard tape review, and improving overtaking.
• ▶ 1:24 Tracks & Wet Races (1:24 - 2:20) - Max discusses consistently exciting tracks and defends wet-race entertainment.
• ▶ 2:20 F1's US Growth & Driver Mindset (2:20 - 3:25) - Max covers the US F1 boom and the traits separating good, great, and weaker drivers.
• ▶ 3:25 Fitness, Focus & Race-Day Quirks (3:25 - 5:40) - Topics include physical fitness, mental preparation, sneezing at speed, car differences, straws, ice, and race weight loss.
• ▶ 5:40 Career, Memories & Historical Cars (5:40 - 7:29) - Max talks about entering F1, memorable moments, old vs modern cars, reaction time, halo vision, and the GOAT debate.
• ▶ 7:29 Training, Tire Strategy & Future Tech (7:29 - 10:58) - Max details training, pit-stop and tire strategy, simulator time, greatest victories, 2026 cars, and DRS competitiveness.