Source – F1.com
Max Verstappen was candid about his start to the Dutch Grand Prix weekend, calling Red Bull “a bit too slow” in comparison to their competitors after the team’s Friday practice results placed them behind both the Mercedes and McLaren vehicles.
As Max Verstappen gears up to extend his remarkable streak of home victories at Zandvoort to four, Friday’s practice sessions revealed the challenges that lie ahead for the reigning champion. Despite the dry and brighter conditions of FP2, which provided a stark contrast to the tricky wet-to-dry FP1, Verstappen found himself trailing behind George Russell, Oscar Piastri, Lewis Hamilton, and Lando Norris.
The afternoon session at Zandvoort exposed the gaps in Red Bull’s current performance, a reality that Verstappen acknowledged with candid reflection. Reflecting on his day, Verstappen noted that FP1 had offered little insight due to the limited running he managed in the mixed conditions. However, FP2 painted a clearer picture of where Red Bull currently stands—and it’s a position that’s far from dominant.
Verstappen admitted that both the short-run and long-run pace were lacking, highlighting that the team has considerable work to do ahead of the weekend. He pointed out that, at the moment, there is no clear solution to these issues, emphasizing the simplicity of the problem: Red Bull is just too slow.
This lack of pace is not an isolated incident. Since winning the Spanish Grand Prix in June, Verstappen has endured a four-race stretch without a victory. This slump, though surprising to fans accustomed to Red Bull’s dominance, aligns with the struggles the team has been facing recently. Verstappen acknowledged that their current position was not unexpected, given the trend of the last few races. As the weekend progresses, the Dutchman and his team will be focused on extracting any additional performance they can muster in time for Sunday’s race.
On the other side of the Red Bull garage, Sergio Perez’s session was equally challenging. Finishing 12th, six-tenths slower than Verstappen, Perez is looking to rebound from a series of difficult races. Despite the apparent gap in performance, Perez remained cautiously optimistic, noting that their day wasn’t as bad as it seemed in terms of order. He revealed that he had made a mistake into Turn 12, which cost him a couple of tenths and possibly a better position on the timesheets.
Perez and Red Bull spent the day experimenting with various setups, searching for the right direction with the car’s configuration and recent updates. While the results were not immediately impressive, Perez suggested that the team had gained valuable insights, particularly concerning long-run pace, where they need to close the gap to their rivals.
Adding to the complexity of Perez’s weekend is his adjustment to working with a new Race Engineer, Richard Wood. With his regular engineer, Hugh Bird, on paternity leave, Perez is adapting to the new dynamics in communication and strategy planning. He acknowledged that while the change is noticeable, the familiarity will grow with each session, improving their cohesion as the weekend progresses.
Red Bull enters this weekend under pressure to maintain their lead in the constructors’ standings, with McLaren steadily closing the gap to just 42 points. Verstappen also faces a tightening battle in the drivers’ standings, where he currently leads Lando Norris by 78 points. The team’s performance at Zandvoort will be crucial in defending their position at the top and ensuring they don’t let their rivals inch closer.
As the Dutch Grand Prix weekend unfolds, all eyes will be on Red Bull to see if they can overcome their current challenges and deliver the pace needed to secure another home victory for Verstappen. The journey to the top of the podium is looking increasingly uncertain, and the next sessions will be vital in shaping the outcome of the race.
