Max Verstappen endured a frustrating Friday at the Mexico City Grand Prix, as persistent engine issues on his Red Bull severely restricted his track time to just 18 laps across both practice sessions. The reigning champion, known for his dominance at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, labeled the day “pretty much useless” after a recurring power unit problem forced him out of FP2 after only four laps.
Red Bull had hoped to push the mileage on the recent upgrades introduced in Austin, where Verstappen claimed both a Sprint victory and third in the main race. However, their plan hit an early snag in Mexico, with Verstappen reporting engine trouble in FP1. Although Red Bull team principal Christian Horner initially indicated that the issue was resolved, the glitch resurfaced in FP2, and Verstappen was called back to the pits, ending his day prematurely.
“From the engine side, we are checking, but I don’t know exactly what it is,” Verstappen shared, visibly disappointed. “A pretty much useless day. Did like four or five [representative] laps, so there’s not much to read into at the moment.”
Despite placing fourth in FP1, Verstappen admitted he learned very little from the limited laps he managed, a setback as he had hoped to assess the RB20’s balance with the recent upgrades. When asked about the car’s handling, Verstappen responded, “I cannot tell you. I mean, I never really had a good run, only four or five laps in total… a day to forget.”
While Red Bull fans may worry about a potential grid penalty, Verstappen downplayed concerns, asserting that he is “alright” with his power unit pool and doesn’t anticipate any forced engine change. As the team scrambles to resolve the issue ahead of Saturday’s sessions, Verstappen’s disrupted day raises questions about Red Bull’s readiness to fend off rivals on Sunday, especially after missing out on valuable track time to fine-tune their setup in Mexico.
