Max Verstappen claims he'll get 'full report' and crucial inside info on F1 rivals
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Max Verstappen has joked that good friend Nyck de Vries will send him a 'full report' after recently testing for Formula 1 rivals McLaren. Verstappen, 27, won his fourth successive world title in 2024 but his team, Red Bull, lost their grip on the Constructors' Championship to McLaren. Their drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, improved as the season went on and took vital points off Verstappen, whose imperious start to the year proved to be the difference.
But when the wheels turn come March 16 for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, many are backing McLaren to be stronger. Fortunately, Verstappen has had a man on the inside: De Vries. His fellow Dutchman, who raced for Red Bull's junior team in the first half of the 2023 F1 season, tested for McLaren late last year. That allowed De Vries, who's now driving in Formula E with Mahindra Racing, to gain an insight into how the reigning champions' car could operate this coming season.
"He will send me a full report of what is going on," Verstappen quipped to RacingNews365. "No, of course not. We always keep it very professional. That's his job. I'm not there to try and steal information. I don't want to put him in that position anyway.".
On De Vries' chances of getting back into F1, the four-time world champion replied: "It's a good shout. He is a great driver. He is technically also very strong. He likes to really analyse everything within the car. It's good for him. He likes Formula 1 and he's honestly he's great at these kind of things.".
