Verstappen: 2019 wings will make the cars 'uglier'

Max Verstappen believes that the new front wings that will be introduced in 2019 will make the cars look uglier. The new wings were confirmed earlier this year and aim to allow cars to follow each other more closely through the corners.

The wings will be much less complex compared to recent years, and will be a part of a number of changes to the cars for 2019. The rear wing will also be altered, as will the bargeboards. But Verstappen is not so confident that the changes will have a positive effect.

"It might help a little bit,” he said “but what I’m already reading is that next year we’ll have about the same downforce as this year, so I think that the benefit will be limited. It only looks somewhat uglier, but maybe the design will be refined before the next season.”

F1 is set to introduce fresh regulations once again in 2021, and Verstappen hopes that those changes will bring about positive changes: "If it is still good to drive and overtaking will improve, I can agree with it, even though the car looks very futuristic,” he said. “It also depends on how much downforce we lose with the new regulations.”

Verstappen currently sits in fifth place in the championship after taking three podiums in the last five races. The 21-year-old will be hoping to add to his podium tally this weekend in the US, where has finished in fourth place twice.