Breaking: Verstappen beaten as Red Bull suffer embarrassment Q…read more
Red Bull Stumbles as Verstappen Trails and Tsunoda Hits Rock Bottom in Spanish GP Qualifying
Red Bull endured a difficult and surprising qualifying session at the Spanish Grand Prix, with Max Verstappen off the pace and Yuki Tsunoda delivering the slowest lap of the day. Despite expectations of a strong showing, Verstappen found himself outpaced by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in both Q1 and Q2. The Australian driver showed impressive pace, beating the reigning world champion by over two-tenths of a second in both segments, raising eyebrows across the paddock.
Verstappen’s battle at the top remained intense, especially with Lando Norris. The two were incredibly close in Q1, with just 0.001 seconds separating them—nearly a repeat of their dead-even pace in Friday’s Free Practice 2. But the McLaren driver found an extra gear in Q2, pulling out a decisive three-tenths of a second gap over the Red Bull star. It marked a rare moment where Verstappen appeared vulnerable during qualifying.
However, it was Yuki Tsunoda who grabbed the unwanted spotlight. The Japanese driver, recently promoted to a Red Bull seat for the upcoming season, struggled throughout the session and ended up at the very bottom of the timesheets. Tsunoda’s Q1 performance was particularly disappointing as he failed to put together a competitive lap, ultimately qualifying 20th and last. His struggles contributed to what was an uncharacteristically underwhelming day for the Red Bull camp.
Elsewhere on the grid, Lewis Hamilton continued to face challenges adapting to his Ferrari. After encountering issues during the practice sessions, the seven-time world champion barely made it through Q1, scraping into Q2 in 11th position. Nonetheless, Hamilton found some rhythm as qualifying progressed, ultimately managing to outperform his teammate Charles Leclerc in Q2.
The session highlighted shifting dynamics among the top teams. McLaren’s strong form, especially from both Piastri and Norris, signals that they are serious contenders this weekend. Meanwhile, Red Bull appears to be under pressure, with Verstappen having to dig deep if he wants to reclaim the front-running spot in Sunday’s race. Tsunoda’s lackluster outing, meanwhile, could raise internal questions as the team looks ahead to the rest of the season.
Overall, the Spanish Grand Prix qualifying was packed with drama and surprises. While McLaren celebrated a standout performance, Red Bull was left to regroup after one of their most disappointing Saturday outings in recent memory.
