Verstappen: Red Bull Team Must Grasp Urgent Reality

Verstappen implores Red Bull to acknowledge and address the current challenges they face in the competition.

An evidently irate Max Verstappen asserted on Saturday that some of his colleagues at Red Bull needed to “wake up” in response to the team’s declining performance.

The Dutch driver pounded the steering wheel in frustration after both McLarens—unchanged since Silverstone—out-qualified Verstappen’s heavily updated car at the Hungaroring.

“Do I not have the right to be frustrated while banging on my steering wheel?” he retorted sharply.

“My position is exactly why I’m frustrated. I had hoped the update would have delivered more. I now know that, this way, it will be 12 long races.”

“I mean, it’s clear that the parts work, but we’re still not in first place, are we? So, we need more. It’s as simple as that. Looking back at my qualifying, I was really pleased with my laps, but yes, in terms of balance, everything is really on the edge. I’m pushing as hard as I can. And then, of course, there are small moments here and there. I feel like I’m probably pushing harder than last year, but I can’t get those good times anymore.”

“So I guess that just means we’re a bit slower. So, we have work to do. It’s as simple as that.”

Team advisor Dr. Helmut Marko stated on Friday night that despite McLaren’s one-lap pace, the updated Red Bull was actually faster over a “long stint”.

Verstappen disagrees.

“Already on Friday, I thought it wasn’t optimal, so perhaps we have a different view on this,” stated the three-time world champion.

“Not everyone understands the situation, I think. With me, they know I’m not one for excuses. Perhaps not everyone is on the same wavelength. I think some people might need to wake up a bit.”

His remarks come amid media revelations that, in the midst of an intense power struggle within the team, Red Bull recently altered Marko’s contract so that the departure of the 81-year-old would not also enable Verstappen to leave the team. The clause that linked the futures of both men has been removed!

Red Bull’s new CEO, Oliver Mintzlaff, is said to have persuaded Marko to agree to the amendment in the interest of team harmony, with Christian Horner and Verstappen’s father, Max, also now on better terms.

It thus appears increasingly likely that Verstappen will definitely remain with Red Bull into 2025.

“I don’t think I did my laps badly,” continued the championship leader when asked about qualifying in Hungary.

“It’s just that the car isn’t good enough. It’s too sensitive and too slow.”

“Of course, not everything is bad, but if you want to become a world champion, it needs to be better than this.”

What is his approach for this race? How to beat the McLarens?

“I don’t know at the moment. But what can I do? I mean, we’ll do our best. Try to have a good, stable balance with the car. And I hope that if I find that, I can keep up with them. But I don’t know. I mean, honestly, my long runs have been good, but nothing fantastic or special. I think it’s better to be realistic rather than sit here and give false hope. But yes, we’ll see, that’s how it is.”