Fast Five: Wolff regrets not signing Verstappen, Prost criticizes Perez's 'counterproductive' father, and other big updates

Wolff regrets not signing Verstappen

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admits he regrets not signing Max Verstappen when he had the chance. Before Verstappen joined Red Bull, he met with Wolff about joining Mercedes, but Mercedes couldn't offer him a spot. Verstappen went on to achieve success with Red Bull. Wolff believes a Verstappen-Hamilton combination wouldn't have worked, and Hamilton's presence meant Verstappen was never a serious target. Wolff also mentions doubts about Verstappen's talent during his Formula 3 days. Despite the regret, Wolff acknowledges having two drivers he was happy with at the time.

Click here to read the full article by Laurence Edmondson (espn.com)

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Prost criticizes Perez's 'counterproductive' father

F1 legend Alain Prost believes Sergio Perez's father is not helping his career. Prost thinks that Perez's open declaration of trying to beat his teammate, Max Verstappen, for the 2023 championship was a mistake. He suggests that Perez should instead create doubts in Verstappen's mind or make Red Bull reconsider his position within the team. Prost also criticizes Perez's father for comparing the Perez-Verstappen battle to the famous rivalry between Ayrton Senna and Prost. On the other hand, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner sees Perez's significant points gap to Verstappen as relieving pressure and hopes that Perez can relax and regain his early-season form.

Click here to read the full article by Andrew Maitland (grandprix.news)

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Red Bull's complex underfloor design stumps rivals

The underfloor design of the Red Bull RB19 Formula 1 car has generated a lot of interest and discussion among teams. It is a complex and intricate design that is difficult to replicate and understand. While teams may attempt to replicate the design, the real challenge lies in understanding the underlying principles and processes that led to Red Bull's innovative floor, highlighting the need for teams to evolve their knowledge and approach to achieve similar levels of complexity and performance.

Click here to read the full article by Edd Straw (the-race.com)

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McLaren's declining pace

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When you manage to qualify in third place for a Grand Prix, it's typically expected that you'll have enough speed to at least score some points. However, this expectation doesn't hold true for McLaren. So how can McLaren be fast on Saturday and slow on Sunday?

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Clarkson honors beer bet with Alpine 

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Jeremy Clarkson, a well-known TV presenter and car enthusiast, made a bet on Twitter promising to buy the Alpine F1 Team a pint if they achieved a podium finish in the Monaco Grand Prix. After the team secured a third-place finish, Clarkson fulfilled his promise by arriving at the team's headquarters on a tractor and distributing beers to the staff.