Max Verstappen has become a key figure in Ford’s Formula 1 project. Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance, explained in an interview how the feedback from the four-time world champion helps accelerate the work carried out in partnership with Red Bull Powertrains in 2026. According to him, Verstappen provides insights that simulation and dynamometer data cannot fully show:
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“As much as we can see in our offline simulation, even using the driver in the simulator, getting their real feedback on the track is very important. We have a great driver lineup, especially Max, with his experience. The level of detail he can provide in feedback is incredible. And that helps us make decisions about where we can improve,” he told GPBlog.
Rushbrook highlighted that Verstappen can identify details that do not always appear in the numbers. “There are numbers you see on the dynamometer, like the power curve or the peak value. But there are details in how the power is delivered and how the energy is conserved. What he (Verstappen) feels puts the data that engineers see into the right context.”
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Besides Verstappen, Ford also receives feedback from Isack Hadjar, Liam Lawson, and Arvid Lindblad, allowing comparison of different perceptions about the same engine.
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