Formula 1 Red Bull Racing driver, Max Verstappen, admitted he was quite satisfied with the performance of the Honda engine installed in the RB15 so far.
Red Bull split with engine partner Renault at the end of the 2018 Formula 1 season. The Austrian team forced to use Honda engines with both its teams in this year.
“Starting the new partnership with Honda I was always very cautious. I knew they were great people and they would get good results, but obviously we had our own little issues at the beginning of the year with the car not being exactly what we wanted it to be for some reason.” Verstappen said.
“We kept working hard, the factory also kept pushing very hard with new parts for the car very quickly, reacting. Of course Adrian [Newey] being on top of it, and I think very quickly we sorted out a car which was again really nice to drive.” Verstappen added.
Mocked by a part of the paddock and fans during its three difficult seasons with McLaren, Honda is busy rebuilding a reputation for its second campaign in the lap of the Red Bull.
“From Austria onwards, when we brought a few new bits, that seemed to be a turnaround for us, where we could finally really start pushing the car.
“I think also the engine we started to take more out of it, because I felt like Honda didn’t want to break down. You can see we are pushing a bit harder, but it’s still fine.
“But after all the negative stuff they had at McLaren with all the engines blowing up and other things, they were a bit careful, and I think that is the right approach.” Verstappen added.
The Dutchman leaped praise for Honda, who progress this season has allowed him to win twice in Austria and Germany Grand Prix.
“When you start improving your car and start getting closer you need that little bit of extra push [from the engine], because Ferrari is doing it, Mercedes to a certain extent is doing it,” Verstappen said.
“So we needed that little push to do that, and now suddenly every race weekend we are there or thereabouts in the mix. As you could see in Austria the car came alive in the race and we were flying.
“Silverstone we would have normally finished second, but I could never show my pace because I was always stuck and then fighting with Charles [Leclerc].” Verstappen added.
Verstappen is currently siting in third in drivers’ standings with 181 points, 69 points behind of world champion leader, Lewis Hamilton.
