Verstappen turned 2023 Red Bull car into “second skin”, says Villeneuve

1997 F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve believes Max Verstappen is completely at one with this year’s Red Bull RB19, managing to turn it into a “second skin”.
Race winner Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing in parc ferme. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 15, Italian Grand Prix,
Race winner Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing in parc ferme. Formula…

Verstappen set the record for the most consecutive F1 wins with his 10th triumph in a row at the Italian Grand Prix.

It means Verstappen hasn’t been beaten on track since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in April.

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Verstappen is on course to break even more records in F1 2023, with a third title imminent. 

The 11-time grand prix winner says Verstappen deserves great credit for getting “the car to do what he wants” before ‘destroying' teammate Sergio Perez.

"Who cares if it's good for the sport? He's amazing. That's it. You should not stop that," Villeneuve told RacingNews365.

"He's managed to do it better than anybody else. He's managed to work with his engineer and his team to turn the car into a second skin. When you have that, you just sit in the car and you don't even think. 

"The car does whatever you want it to. That's why every year Sergio Perez for two or three races, [the thought is that] he can beat Max. 

Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing RB19. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 15, Italian Grand Prix, Monza, Italy, Race
Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing RB19. Formula 1 World Championship,…

"But then Max works and gets the car to do what he wants. Then he destroys Perez. And that makes a difference. I had that end of 1996 and 1997. 

"I would jump in the car and think: 'I know the car can do this,' and it does it. Or if it's wrong [and needs] a small little change, you talk with the engineers and it works. You talk with the deer and it works.

"You don't have to think about it. And when you're like this, you'll drive two or three-tenths faster, just because you don't have to second guess what's happening."

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