Earlier this year, we had the chance to spend some time with Max Verstappen’s car up close — and it was INCREDIBLE.

There are probably a million things we could say about it, but we’ll try to highlight the three main ones. 🙂

Up close, the blue colour transforms into hundreds of tiny details and intricate graphics that look absolutely stunning.

And the overall attention to detail is staggering. The car really does look like a mechanical masterpiece.

But there was one area we were very clearly not supposed to get too close to.

The team were constantly guarding the rear axle and diffuser with a “man wall”, and everyone was politely asked not to take pictures or videos.

There were several reasons for that.

The rotating rear wing, the highly developed diffuser — with solutions slightly different from those of some rivals — and the clever use of engine exhaust gases to improve aerodynamic efficiency by managing airflow and pressure.

When you see the car from this close, you realise just how much engineering is hidden in every F1 machine.

As you can see, the wheels are fully enclosed by carbon-fibre covers, designed by the teams themselves.

Since the introduction of the much more powerful MGU-K, F1 engineers have been working hard to optimise energy recovery. The rear brakes are used as little as possible, with much of the braking energy recovered through the MGU-K.

That means smaller rear brakes, significantly different operating temperatures and completely different cooling requirements.

Brake-temperature management has therefore become one of the key challenges of F1 2026, along with optimising the rear tyres.

The rear-view mirrors are actually supported by complex aerodynamic structures, which are heavily used to optimise airflow around the car.

From a distance, you barely notice them.

Up close, you realize how complex modern F1 cars really are.

Next to Max’s car was Isack Hadjar’s car, and we managed to sneak this picture of the car’s underside. Needless to say, the team were not very happy. 🙂

The light underneath the car wasn't great, so the details are difficult to see. But look closely and you can spot numerous tiny 3D aerodynamic shapes, especially behind the front wheels.

There is also the suspended tea-tray (splitter edge) and the entire leading-edge surface of the diffuser, all designed to help seal the low-pressure area underneath the car.

And, of course, we cannot ignore the …duct tape. 🙂

In all probability, it was being used as an additional seal around the ballast section, which houses the small metal blocks used to balance the car.

Those ballast covers are relatively easy to damage over the curbs — and having a heavy ballast component come loose would be extremely dangerous.

So, from time to time, you see F1 teams resorting to some very quick and very unglamorous solutions during race weekends.

You would be surprised how much duct tape F1 cars need. 😂🏎️

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