15 March 2026Racingnews365Race reportRumor

Verstappen reveals root of Red Bull's recurring start-line woes

Max Verstappen explains that a recurring engine power loss at the start is crippling his races, following a retirement in China. He describes terrible car balance and pace, leaving him already 43 points adrift in the championship after a stark contrast to pre-season testing form.

Max Verstappen has pinpointed a recurring power unit issue as the cause of his disastrous race starts, capping off a "terrible" Chinese Grand Prix weekend where he retired and fell 43 points behind the championship leader. The reigning champion described a complete lack of engine power at the clutch release, compounding severe tire graining and balance problems that left him unable to compete with the front-runners.