Red Bull’s RB21 is proving tricky in Melbourne, with Verstappen and Lawson struggling for grip and performance. Can they find a solution overnight?
Max Verstappen wrapped up 7th fastest in Free Practice 2 in Australia— not exactly the start to 2025 Red Bull had hoped for.
And no, there’s no bluff. The RB21 is just as tricky as he expected.
Speaking after the session, Verstappen wasn’t in a chatty mood.
“The balance isn’t totally off, no major issues, but grip is lacking. We’re struggling on all four tyres, especially in the first and last sectors.”
“That obviously means we’re not where we want to be right now.”
“It’s not an easy fix. The issue? There’s no big balance problem, so finding the right solution won’t be straightforward.”
“But honestly, I wasn’t expecting much different, so I’m neither surprised nor disappointed by our pace.”
Meanwhile, Liam Lawson had an even tougher time, finishing 17th and struggling for performance rather than balance.
“I feel comfortable, but I’m just too slow. We’ve got a lot of work to do overnight.”
“It’s a new track, so we knew we’d have stuff to figure out— but maybe not this much. We’ll go over everything and try to step up tomorrow.”
And does he have a clue how to fix it?
“Not really. If we knew the answer, we’d already be working on it. It’s just a grip issue— we need it on short runs, but our long-run pace isn’t great either. We’ll keep grinding.”
Big night ahead for Red Bull. Can they turn it around?
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Verstappen Admits RB21 Struggles: “No Easy Fix” in Sight Verstappen Admits RB21 Struggles: “No Easy Fix” in Sight
