Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen says that thanks to the RB18’s design, he doesn’t have the problem of getting brake dust in his face, unlike some rivals.
At the F1 Austrian Grand Prix, four-time F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel raised the issue for the cameras after getting out of the AMR22 after the race with a black and dirty face.
Sebastian Vettel has revealed that it is brake dust coming from the front brakes.
“Honestly, with this year’s brake duct design, the front axle is blowing all the brake dust in your face. It’s not a good thing and I think it needs to be worked on. It’s obviously healthy to inhale carbon dust. It’s not good for us,” Sebastian Vettel told Sky F1.
It’s a problem for the Aston Martin F1 car, but Max Verstappen has never experienced it at Red Bull Racing and said it was in the front brake design.
“It basically depends on how you design the drums,” Sebastian Vettel told GPFans.
“I’ve never experienced it, but some are designed to hit you in the face.”
“Again, I think you can limit your design options. You should be more outward.”
“If you look at the brake dust, it’s always on the left and right, so it’s okay.”
According to George Russell, the Mercedes F1 team does not have the same problems as Aston Martin.
“I had no problems,” said George Russell.
“I know a lot of people have issues, but as Max said, we have different design philosophies so we can do something that affects the health and safety of our drivers. I think it’s the FIA’s responsibility not to give sex to the team.”
The FIA (International Automobile Federation) announced after the Austrian Grand Prix that it would take the issue seriously as it concerns the health of the drivers.
It’s not the first time this issue has been raised. Valtteri Bottas has spoken about the issue in 2019 when he was with the Mercedes F1 team.
“There’s definitely dust coming out of the brakes, but it’s minimal. It’s from the car ahead and it’s always there,” said Valtteri Bottas.
“It’s always black when I blow my nose after a race, but I don’t know what it does to my body year after year.”
“I don’t think anyone has looked into it. I want to breathe clean air, but I don’t know what I can do.”
Category: F1 / Max Verstappen / red bull