Verstappen Blasts 'Shit' RB21 After Disappointing Sprint Qualifying
Max Verstappen expressed extreme frustration with his Red Bull RB21 after a challenging Sprint Qualifying in Qatar, describing the car's behavior as "bouncing around like crazy" and "just shit." Finishing sixth, he was even outqualified by teammate Yuki Tsunoda, a rare occurrence. Verstappen lamented severe understeer shifting to oversteer and ineffective setup changes, warning that the Sprint race would be about "surviving" rather than competing, signaling potential underlying issues for the dominant team.
Max Verstappen was visibly frustrated under the Lusail floodlights on Friday, sharply criticizing his Red Bull's performance in Sprint Qualifying. He conceded that sixth on the grid was the maximum he could extract from a car that was a handful, even being outpaced by teammate Yuki Tsunoda for the first time in equal machinery.
Why it matters:
Verstappen's rare display of public frustration and the RB21's poor showing in Sprint Qualifying signal potential underlying issues for Red Bull, especially as the championship battle against Lando Norris intensifies. A consistent struggle with car balance could disrupt their dominant form and open the door for rivals to close the gap in the constructors' standings.
The Details:
- Car Behavior: Verstappen described the RB21 as "bouncing around like crazy" and bluntly called it "just shit" over team radio, highlighting severe handling issues at the high-speed Qatar circuit.
- Qualifying Struggles: In SQ3, an uncharacteristic wide moment on his first lap compounded his frustration, leading him to exclaim, "The f***ing car is bouncing like an idiot."
- Post-Session Analysis: After the session, Verstappen explained that the car suffered from "really bad bouncing and a very aggressive understeer that would shift into oversteer in high-speed," making it incredibly difficult to drive fast.
- Failed Adjustments: Red Bull attempted tweaks between SQ2 and SQ3, but Verstappen admitted these fixes were ineffective, stating, "It clearly wasn't working well in qualifying, so that's something that we need to understand."
What's next:
Verstappen warned that the upcoming Sprint race would likely be more about "just trying to survive" and serving as a diagnostic exercise rather than an attacking opportunity. The team will be looking to make significant changes ahead of the main Grand Prix qualifying and the race itself to address the unpredictable balance and bouncing. This unexpected struggle puts Red Bull and Verstappen under pressure to quickly identify and rectify the issues to maintain their championship aspirations.