’Aggressive’ Verstappen struggling with 2022 car

World champion Max Verstappen’s "aggressive driving style" is a challenge with the new-generation cars of 2022.

That is the view of Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko, who thinks the "opposite" situation is occurring at Ferrari where Charles Leclerc is clearly much more confident in the car than Carlos Sainz.

"It’s the opposite to us - Sergio Perez is much closer to Max than was the case in 2021," Marko told f1-insider.com.

"The simplest explanation is that the new cars with less downforce suit some drivers better than others. Sainz is an intelligent and very hard worker and he will work off his deficit.

"Perez is very happy with the car, while Max finds it harder. He hasn’t found the right balance yet and therefore doesn’t have the fullest confidence in the car.

"His aggressive driving style doesn’t quite go together with the new cars," Marko concluded.

However, he said he is personally happier with a Red Bull versus Ferrari head-to-head in 2022, rather than more of the same intense rivalry with Mercedes.

"Ferrari suits us better in terms of passion and mentality," he told Osterreich newspaper. "Mercedes is more financially oriented."