In the first practice session, Max Verstappen had a different race engineer on the radio: Why performance engineer Tom Hart has taken over from Gianpiero Lambiase
Max Verstappen experienced a chaotic training session in Imola: First the Red Bull driver slid off the track in the Alta variant, then he skidded through the gravel bed in the Acque Minerali. The three-time world champion was anything but satisfied with the handling of his RB20 – and then he had another race engineer on the radio!
His well-known race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase was allowed to lean back to make room for performance engineer Tom Hart. Red Bull explains that this unique situation served to give the Briton additional experience of working as a race engineer.
In the second free practice session for the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Hart already took over Lambiase’s role in order to better understand the tasks and improve the working relationship. It was unfortunate that the Brit was now on the radio in Imola practice, of all places, when Verstappen was struggling with his Red Bull.
In the end, the world champion finished in fifth place, 0.250 seconds behind leader Charles Leclerc (result). The Dutchman’s two mistakes prevented a better result. Verstappen complained that the Red Bull, which is equipped with some updates in Imola, was “a disaster” in the Acque-Minerali section. The Dutchman radioed angrily: “I have no f****** grip there!”
Verstappen angry: “Yes, but what’s weak? “
On his third lap on the soft tires, he flew through the gravel in the same place a little later, having already lost the rear of his RB20 a lap earlier when braking for the Alta variant and having to take a shortcut across the meadow.
“I can’t brake later because the car then buckles a lot, and at the entrance to the apex I just don’t have a f****** front end anymore,” Verstappen grumbled about his struggle with the car, especially under braking.
When Verstappen was told by replacement engineer Hart that he was “a bit weak” in the Tosa and Piratella sections, the world champion replied angrily: “Yes, but what is weak? I understand that I’m off, but what’s going on?”
Lambiase will take over again in the second training session. However, this is no guarantee that the world champion will automatically perform better …
