SITUATION REPORT: Serious’ situation Rise at Red Bull as Jos Verstappen Criticizes Team’s…..Read more
Serious’ situation Rise at Red Bull as Jos Verstappen Criticizes Team’s Performance After Dutch Grand Prix
In a surprising turn of events, tensions within Red Bull Racing have escalated following the Dutch Grand Prix, with Jos Verstappen, father of three-time Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen, launching a scathing critique of the team’s performance. Max Verstappen, who had been leading the race at the start, finished over 20 seconds behind McLaren’s Lando Norris, sparking concern within the Verstappen camp about the direction Red Bull has taken with their car’s development.
Jos Verstappen has never been one to shy away from expressing his views on Red Bull’s performance. However, his latest comments mark a new level of frustration, particularly in the context of Red Bull’s recent struggles. Speaking to the German publication *Bild*, Jos made his disappointment clear, stating, “Over 20 seconds is a huge disappointment. Max never had a chance of winning, but that’s not surprising when you regress the car.”
The elder Verstappen’s comments reflect the growing unease within the team, especially as Max’s once-dominant lead in the championship is beginning to shrink. With five consecutive races without a win, the pressure is mounting on Red Bull to find solutions quickly. Jos pointed out that recent personnel departures might be contributing to the team’s struggles, saying, “The good people are leaving the team. I’m very unhappy with what’s happening.”
The internal tensions at Red Bull have been simmering throughout the season. Jos Verstappen has previously been critical of Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, even calling for his resignation after the season opener in Bahrain. Now, with the team’s competitiveness in question, those tensions have resurfaced.
“It’s time for Red Bull to question themselves,” Jos continued. “Internally, we should hold up a mirror to ourselves and not always gloss over everything. It’s time – if it’s not already too late – to question ourselves.”
Max Verstappen’s dissatisfaction with the current state of the RB20 was also evident. He has openly pointed out the car’s shortcomings, noting how it has fallen behind its competitors, particularly McLaren. As the team continues to experiment with previous specifications of the RB20, Max remarked that the fact they needed to revert to an earlier version of the car speaks volumes about the current situation.
Meanwhile, McLaren has emerged as the team to beat, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri consistently delivering strong performances. With Red Bull’s lead in both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships under threat, McLaren now appears poised to challenge for the top spot. The Constructors’ Championship, which once seemed a foregone conclusion in favor of Red Bull, is now wide open, with McLaren rapidly closing the gap.
“You can’t sugarcoat it anymore, the situation is serious,” Jos Verstappen warned. “Max won’t be happy with having a car like this. Now it’s up to Horner to get the team back on track.”
Sky F1 commentator Martin Brundle offered an interesting perspective on the race, suggesting that Max Verstappen might have intentionally exaggerated his car’s performance deficit to send a message to the team. “I would hazard a guess that that was not as fast as Max could go,” Brundle speculated. “He knew he couldn’t beat Lando, and dropping back a bit like that is going to give the factory a hurry-up, isn’t it?”
As Red Bull faces increasing pressure to turn things around, the coming weeks will be critical for the team’s championship hopes. Whether they can address the issues raised by the Verstappens and regain their form remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the situation at Red Bull is serious, and the clock is ticking.
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