Max Verstappen left baffled by Red Bull’s shocking performance decline in Austria, as the team falls “miles away” from their usual standards. The Dutch driver faced a disappointing seventh-place finish in the Austrian Grand Prix qualifying session, marking his worst result since the Bahrain race earlier this season.
Verstappen’s hopes for a strong qualifying were dashed when he was unable to complete a final flying lap due to a spin by Pierre Gasly, resulting in yellow flags being waved and hindering other drivers’ chances. Despite his frustration, Verstappen ended nearly a second behind pole-sitter Lando Norris, emphasizing the significant drop in performance.
Describing his car as “undriveable” during Q2, Verstappen expressed his confusion over the sudden loss of balance and performance, which he felt only in one corner throughout the session. This unexpected setback has raised concerns for the team as they prepare for the race, with Verstappen admitting uncertainty about their competitiveness against rivals Ferrari and Mercedes.
Verstappen’s focus remains on maximizing his performance during the race weekend, acknowledging the need to analyze and address the issues that plagued their qualifying session. With doubts lingering about the car’s balance and pace, the Red Bull team faces a challenging task to regroup and deliver a strong performance in the upcoming race.
