Verstappen doesn’t see value of testing old car

Max Verstappen doesn't see any value in testing an old car before the season.
Max Verstappen won’t be doing any tests before the 2020 season begins because he doesn’t see any point in testing an old car.
Mercedes conducted a two-day test at Silverstone in 2018’s W09, while Renault are also preparing to do some laps in their 2018 challenger as teams look to get the feel for racing again and test out their new safety procedures before Round 1 in Austria.
AlphaTauri and Racing Point are going to conduct filming days for some track time in their current cars, but Verstappen isn’t going to be doing any tests.
Instead he says all he needs is “three of four laps” of the Red Bull Ring and he will be back to 100%.
“Of course you have an old car, the tyres are not the same. I have decided not to do that,” he told Sky Sport.
“I think three or four laps in Spielberg and we’re back. We still have a lot of time there.”
Red Bull’s motorsport advisor Dr Helmut Marko predicted 2020 will be a battle at the top between Mercedes and the Austrian outfit.
Verstappen was cautious of making such predictions, but hopes Red Bull will be challenging the Silver Arrows in 2020.
“We have to wait and see because the last few months we haven’t been racing,” he said.
“There will continue to be updates on the cars. Nevertheless, I expect Mercedes will be very strong and I hope that we will be close.”
Arguably one of the biggest changes drivers will have to get accustomed to this year is racing at empty tracks in “Closed Events”.
“Without fans, of course, it will be very different,” said Verstappen.
“What happened in the race [in Austria] last year was unbelievable. This is extremely motivating. A race without fans will be the first time for everyone.”
Verstappen goes into the 2020 season with the chance of becoming the youngest Formula 1 World Champion in history.
And the Dutchman is “extremely motivated” to make it to the top of F1 after a career-best P3 finish in the Drivers’ Championship last year.
“In the end it’s going to be a nice moment when it happens,” he said.
“Of course I want to win every year, that hasn’t worked out yet. I learned a lot last year, we worked together even better in pre-season testing in Barcelona. We are definitely extremely motivated.”
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