The VCARB-02 from Racing Bulls was designed with the explicit goal of being an easy-to-drive car, a stark contrast to its bigger sibling from Milton Keynes, the RB21, which is extremely fast but has a very narrow performance window. The results were immediately evident: a spectacular debut for Isack Hadjar and a strong resurgence for Liam Lawson, who finished eighth in Hungary, even ahead of Max Verstappen, confirming that the VCARB-02 is a platform genuinely friendly to the driver. But what if, even for just one day, this car ended up in the hands of the reigning world champion, Max Verstappen?
Alan Permane, the newly appointed team principal of Racing Bulls, defends the design philosophy: “This is something we worked on throughout the winter, and we realized we had created a car that is genuinely enjoyable to drive. After Bahrain, our confidence grew, and that guided the rest of the development program.” Permane stresses that it is not just a car for nurturing young talent: “That was not the focus. It certainly helps rookies, but I suspect that even a top-level driver would find it comfortable and would be able to extract high performance from it.”
This brings up a tantalizing hypothetical: a filming day with Max Verstappen behind the wheel of the VCARB-02. In theory, it is possible: 200 kilometers using demonstration tires, in a controlled setting away from the weekend spotlight. The benefits would be substantial: a direct benchmark of the potential of the Faenza-built car, a real comparison with the data collected by Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson, and top-level technical feedback from one of the world’s best drivers. When asked in Budapest whether such a temptation had ever arisen, Max Verstappen simply smiled and said: “Better not to talk about it.”
The question is not only technical. In a paddock that has debated for years the relationship between “main” teams and “satellite” teams, such a test would inevitably shine another spotlight on the sensitive A/B team discussion. Andrea Stella, the technical director of McLaren, recently reignited the debate: “The issue of independence needs to be discussed to ensure the sport is positioned fairly and robustly, protecting teams that operate fully independently.” With the FIA preparing to clarify and tighten operational relationships in 2026, the political implications of such a test weigh almost as heavily as the technical ones.
There is also a practical limitation: as Laurent Mekies has pointed out, the two cars have now diverged significantly, reducing the usefulness of directly transferring feedback and setup information. This is compounded by ongoing development work focused on the new 2026 regulations, with upgrade packages in the pipeline for several months and maneuvering space restricted by ATR (Aerodynamic Testing Restrictions) and the budget cap.
Still, the question that continues to intrigue engineers, insiders, and fans remains: how much could such a “rounded” and permissive car reveal if placed in the hands of a world-class talent? If the VCARB-02 helps rookies perform at their best, a benchmark from an elite driver could not only confirm the car’s balance but also uncover performance areas that remain unexplored. Perhaps such a test will never happen—due to political considerations and development timing—but the idea that the “little sister” car could shine even with a veteran champion remains more than a fantasy: it is a technical “what if” worthy of serious consideration.
Meanwhile, the lesson is clear: in an era when many Formula 1 cars demand drivers to “dance on the edge of the envelope,” the approach taken by Faenza demonstrates that a driver-friendly design is not synonymous with mediocrity, but rather a different pathway to achieving top-level results. And if one day Max Verstappen were to actually take the wheel, the team and fans alike would finally understand just how high this platform can take a car.
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