The thrilling title fight between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton in 2021 was not only fought on the track. Former performance coach Bradley Scanes reveals how Verstappen also tried to outsmart his rival in parc fermé – during the race weekend in São Paulo, the Dutchman received a fine of 50,000 euros for inspecting the rear wing of Mercedes. That was worth every cent, says Scanes.
After Lewis Hamilton had secured pole position in São Paulo, Max Verstappen was filmed in parc fermé meticulously examining the rear wing of Mercedes. At the time, Red Bull suspected their competitors were benefiting from a flexible spoiler, which provided extra speed on the straight. Technical checks later showed that Hamilton’s DRS flap opened more than allowed, resulting in his disqualification for the qualification and he had to start the sprint race from the back.
Psychological Game
In an episode of the High Performance podcast, Scanes explained how Verstappen’s actions were agreed upon within Red Bull. The team deliberately played a psychological game to pull the championship towards them. “Brazil was a good example of the mind games we were playing at the time,” said the Brit. “Verstappen stood behind the rear wing of Mercedes and deliberately touched it. That was the intention – he knew he would get a fine of 50,000 euros, but no sporting penalty.”
According to Scanes, Verstappen’s action clearly had an effect; the attention shifted to Mercedes, which otherwise would have had a dominant weekend. “Even if nothing had happened, it would have been worth it,” he continued. “Everyone remembers the mudslinging between Toto Wolff and Christian Horner, which was widely reported in the media,” Scanes explained. “But the battle between Verstappen and Hamilton was also raging behind the scenes. Even Angela Cullen (Hamilton’s physiotherapist and confidante) got involved.”
