Max Verstappen expressed low expectations ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix after struggling with his car’s performance throughout the qualifying session, ultimately finishing seventh on the grid. Red Bull arrived at its home race with high hopes, buoyed by an upgrade package and a strong historical performance on the circuit. However, during practice sessions, it appeared the team was trailing behind McLaren, which raised concerns.
Verstappen highlighted his difficulties, stating, “Yesterday already was not good over one lap, the long run wasn’t good and today FP3 was a little bit more positive but still off.” He elaborated that his car was challenging to handle during qualifying, with consistent issues related to grip and balance, fluctuating between understeer and oversteer. “Every single lap that I did I had a bit of a different behavior from the car, so that’s not ideal,” he noted, pointing to the unexpected decline in performance as a surprise for the team.
He emphasized that the adjustments made to the car were minimal, which made the significant drop in performance perplexing. The increased track temperatures and wind conditions contributed to the struggles, suggesting that external factors had a substantial impact on the car’s handling. Given these challenges, Verstappen predicts a tough race day ahead, saying, “Not a lot [is expected]. Not to fight up front, for sure.”
Similar observations were noted in past races where Red Bull faced difficulties translating their qualifying pace into race performance, raising questions about their consistency under changing conditions. Overall, the situation presents an opportunity for the team to analyze their performance thoroughly and make necessary adjustments for future races. Fans will be hoping that Verstappen can turn the tide and salvage what they can from this challenging weekend.