Max Verstappen shares surprising upside to long-term issue plaguing Red Bull

Max Verstappen has given an update into Red Bull's ongoing problems with its radio - and joked that it is "fantastic" the outside world can't hear the traffic.

For a number of grands prix, both Verstappen and Isack Hadjar have been suffering from issues with the clarity of their radio communications to the pit-wall, with Verstappen's engineer Gianpiero Lambiase even forced to conduct strategy talks through a series of codes in the Singapore GP. 

Reflecting on the current issue, and his constant gripes in practice about bad gearshifts, Verstappen explained that the connection had improved in Mexico - and that the outside world not being able to hear the conversations was "fantastic."

"Well, the radio is, I think, a lot better," he told media, including RacingNews365. 

"In Mexico, we were also trying some things, and it's just a few tiny settings probably to still get right. But actually, the team was hearing me very well. 

"Maybe everyone else isn't, but that's actually fantastic, to be honest, so we should actually try and keep it that way. 

"And with the [gear]shifts or whatever that you hear me complain about, it's just because I'm never satisfied, because I think certain things can always be better, and I always try to fine-tune or find improvements. 

"So, if you hear it as complaining or whatever, it's more for me to make sure that the team is always looking into details to try and find more lap time because I know there is more lap time in it."

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Verstappen's anti-virus software

With the Sao Paulo GP expected to be wet, it will be another test for the new power units in wet conditions, after the Singapore Sprint and the chaos of the formation lap in Malaysia.

There, multiple cars ground to a halt on the way to the grid as a result of a software bug which had not been detected in wet conditions until it was too late.

The issue was quickly fixed before the race resumed by FIA technicians, with Verstappen joking with Arvid Lindblad and Fernando Alonso about the situation. 

"I installed antivirus on my car, so I'll be fine," Verstappen quipped before telling Lindblad that "you'll be on the same software, mate, so don't worry."

Alonso then added his thoughts. 

"It is quite steep uphill after the last corner. So, if we have any problems, we will finish far away from the circuit," he said.

"But I think the problems were understood after Malaysia, so I hope everything is fixed."