Jacques Villeneuve: Red Bull's Second Driver Must Master Feedback and Setup

Why It Matters

Jacques Villeneuve believes the solution to Red Bull's persistent second driver problem lies in finding a pilot who can precisely articulate their car's feelings and independently "make it his" in terms of setup. This is crucial given Max Verstappen's preference for a 'peaky' car, which maximizes performance but makes it inherently more challenging for teammates to handle.

Villeneuve's Core Argument

The 1997 World Champion highlighted that many drivers on the grid merely report symptoms like "understeer" without understanding the underlying reasons or knowing how to work on a setup. According to Villeneuve, this inability to provide advanced technical feedback and follow their own setup path is why teammates struggle. Simply reverting to Verstappen's setup, he argues, "doesn't help" and leads to further performance divergence throughout the season.

The Challenge for Red Bull

• Past Teammates: Villeneuve noted that drivers like Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon were "not ready" when they joined Red Bull, needing more time to adapt as rookies. He also suggested Sergio Perez was already at his "plateau," never destined to be a World Champion caliber partner for Verstappen.
• Verstappen's Uniqueness: Max is described as an "old fashioned driver," a rarity today, making it difficult to find another who can work effectively with the team to personalize the car and contribute to its progress.

The Way Forward

Villeneuve firmly stated that drivers can adapt the car to their style if they are "good enough." He argues that those who fail simply "aren't good enough" to provide valuable, detailed feedback that the team would deem "worthwhile." He differentiates between superficial complaints and deep technical understanding, emphasizing that Red Bull needs a driver who can explain why something is happening and contribute meaningfully to development.