Verstappen frustrated by Red Bull struggles after Bahrain qualifying setback
Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool
Max Verstappen admitted he struggled with an “inconsistent” Red Bull during Qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix, finishing the session in P7 after a challenging weekend. Though McLaren was dominant throughout the sessions, Verstappen trailed behind, citing brake issues en route to his seventh-place finish in Q3.
“It was tough – tough all weekend,” said Verstappen. “For whatever reason, I’ve been struggling with the brakes, so it’s something we need to investigate. The general grip was inconsistent, and we can’t seem to make the tires work. We’ve tried a lot with the setup, but nothing gave us a clear answer.”
Looking to Sunday’s race, where he will line up behind Lando Norris, Verstappen expressed uncertainty about his expectations. “High-deg tracks have been good to us in the past, but today’s balance makes it difficult. I’m trying to better some cars ahead, but normally the McLarens will be too quick.”
On the other side of the Red Bull garage, Yuki Tsunoda advanced to Q3 for the first time since joining the team, starting from P10 despite hoping for better.
“[My] final lap was a big mystery,” Tsunoda reflected. “I made a big mistake in Turn 10 but getting through to Q3 is still something. Considering Max qualified P7, which is unusual, I’ll take it.”
Facing a challenging weekend in Sakhir, Tsunoda admitted to a rollercoaster experience as he adjusts to his new car. “It’s been a massive rollercoaster. In free practice, I was nowhere, so considering that, it was good recovery. I’m still trying to find the consistent window that this car operates in, but I’m not rushing. It’s just the second race, and I think it was good progress so far.”
Both Red Bull drivers aim for a better performance in the upcoming race despite their struggles during the qualifying sessions.
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