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Max Verstappen faces extraordinary struggle at Chinese GP sprint: “everything that could go wrong did”

Carl Harrison by Carl Harrison
March 14, 2026
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0

Max Verstappen Faces Calamity in Chinese GP Sprint: “Everything That Could Go Wrong Went Wrong”

In a stunning display of misfortune, Max Verstappen found himself grappling with a disastrous outing at the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race, marking yet another rocky chapter in the 2026 Formula 1 season. The four-time world champion struggled to salvage any points, ultimately finishing in a dismal ninth place—just 0.3 seconds shy of the points-scoring position occupied by Oliver Bearman.

From the very beginning, Verstappen’s race was plagued with problems. He qualified in eighth place, a staggering 1.7 seconds behind the pole-sitter George Russell, and lamented that his Red Bull was “struggling for pace all over.” With “no grip, no balance,” the reigning champion lost crucial time in the corners, setting the stage for a race that would only exacerbate his woes.

Verstappen's troubles commenced right off the start line, as he struggled to find the necessary revs, which saw him plummet to 13th place. Unlike his remarkable recovery at the Melbourne season opener, where he started from 20th and charged back to finish sixth, this race saw him unable to mount any significant comeback.

“I have not a lot of words at the moment, to be honest,” Verstappen expressed in a candid interview with Sky Sports. “Everything that could go wrong went wrong. The start, of course, is one problem that we have to fix, but then after that the balance is all over the place.” He further commented on the significant tire degradation he experienced, stating, “Probably the highest degradation of everyone out there, which is just uncontrollable.” Verstappen concluded with a call to action, “We just need to get our stuff together.”

This unfortunate sprint race marked a historic first for Verstappen, as it was the first time he finished outside the points in a sprint event. With an astounding 13 sprint race victories to his name—10 more than any other driver in the history of the format—this weekend's performance was a stark deviation from his usual dominance.

Adding to the Red Bull team’s woes, Verstappen’s teammate Isack Hadjar also faced insurmountable challenges. After qualifying in 10th, Hadjar fell to 15th place following a lap-one incident with Kimi Antonelli. The Mercedes driver experienced a similar start to Verstappen’s, dropping from a promising second position to ninth before colliding with Hadjar at the Turn 6 hairpin. “Everything went to plan for the first sector and then Kimi completely outbraked himself and we had damage for the remainder of the race,” Hadjar lamented, revealing the frustrations of a race marred by difficulties.

“We didn’t learn anything. I had damage and I was defending against faster cars the whole way. It was annoying,” he concluded, echoing the sentiments of his disheartened teammate.

As the dust settles on this chaotic Chinese GP sprint, one thing is clear: the Red Bull Racing team has some serious work to do if they hope to reclaim their position at the top of the Formula 1 hierarchy. With both drivers encountering crippling setbacks, fans and analysts alike are left wondering how this powerhouse team will respond in the races to come. The road ahead will certainly demand resilience and fortitude from Verstappen and his crew as they seek to reverse this unsettling trend.

Tags: chinese-grand-prixformula-1-enmax-verstappen-enRed Bull Racing
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