Reigning Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has voiced serious concerns about Red Bull’s inconsistent performance after a challenging Mexican Grand Prix saw him cross the finish line in a disappointing P6. Known for his dominant performances in Mexico City, Verstappen’s subdued pace this time around left fans and the paddock puzzled, with the Dutchman openly questioning the RB20’s ability to keep pace.
Despite Verstappen’s stellar track record at the Mexican GP, his RB20’s race pace was lackluster, compounded by penalties from early-race skirmishes that set him back to P15. The reigning champion was penalized by the FIA for his driving in a tense battle with McLaren’s Lando Norris, forcing Verstappen into a strategy of damage control and ultimately leaving him over 11 seconds adrift of Mercedes’ race pace.
Following the race, Verstappen bluntly called out the RB20’s lack of grip and unpredictable performance, saying, “Getting back to 6th was alright, but I couldn’t even fight the Mercedes cars up front. I just had no grip—was sliding a lot and couldn’t brake. It’s tough to see the pace shifting every weekend. Austin was promising, but here it was challenging. Hopefully, Brazil will be a different story.”
For Verstappen, the only silver lining was that title rival Lando Norris did not secure the race win, finishing second behind Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, who secured another impressive victory. Sainz’s win added fuel to Ferrari’s momentum, helping them overtake Red Bull in the Constructors’ standings, while Red Bull now faces a growing urgency to get its championship hopes back on track.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner acknowledged the team’s struggles, stating, “It’s crucial we understand why our race pace was off. Qualifying was solid, but Ferrari and McLaren had much stronger race pace. That will be our focus in the lead-up to Brazil.”
Paddock rumors further suggest Verstappen may be in line for an engine penalty at Interlagos, which, given that it’s a sprint weekend, could compound his championship troubles. With the pressure mounting, Red Bull’s urgency to resolve these performance gaps is clear, as Verstappen braces for the prospect of losing more ground in the title race if Red Bull’s struggles persist.
