Source – Total Motorsport
Max Verstappen, who disclosed he was struggling with an engine problem during a dismal Italian Grand Prix, has conceded that Red Bull needs to “change the whole car” in order for him to get back to winning ways.
Max Verstappen’s frustrations reached a boiling point after a dismal showing at the Italian Grand Prix, where the Dutchman’s race was marred by a series of unfortunate events that ultimately saw him finish a distant sixth. The reigning world champion, who has been struggling to regain his form, pulled no punches in his post-race debrief, calling for a complete overhaul of Red Bull’s RB20 to prevent their season from spiraling further out of control.
The weekend began on a sour note for Verstappen as he struggled to find pace during qualifying, a rare sight for the usually dominant Red Bull driver. Lining up seventh on the grid, he knew it would be an uphill battle on a track that heavily favors straight-line speed—a characteristic that Red Bull seemed to lack this time around. As the race unfolded, it became painfully clear that Verstappen and his team were in for a rough ride. Despite a valiant effort, the Dutchman could only claw his way up to sixth by the checkered flag, finishing a staggering 37.9 seconds behind race winner Charles Leclerc.
Red Bull’s woes were compounded by their inability to match the pace of their rivals. Ferrari’s Leclerc executed a flawless one-stop strategy, delighting the Tifosi as he secured victory on home soil. In contrast, Red Bull opted for a two-stop strategy that did little to improve their fortunes. The choice left Verstappen stranded in what he described as “no man’s land,” with the team unable to make any significant inroads against the leading pack.
But the strategy was just one part of the problem. Verstappen later revealed that a crippling engine issue had plagued him throughout the race, preventing him from running at full power and severely compromising his performance. Speaking candidly after the race, he admitted, “To be honest, I wasn’t really frustrated throughout the race; I was just doing my own race. The pace was not there, we had a bad pit stop, and I think our strategy was not on point today even though it wouldn’t have changed our position. I think we could have done a better race in general.”
Verstappen’s revelations highlighted the scale of Red Bull’s troubles, with the engine issue serving as a stark reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in Formula 1. “It doesn’t help that you can’t run full power for most of the race with the engine because we had an issue. So yeah, all in all, a pretty bad race. [The engine issue] is really bad at the moment and, before Baku, we have a lot of work to do to basically change the whole car,” Verstappen added, signaling his deep concern about the team’s current trajectory.
The implications of the Italian Grand Prix extend beyond just a single poor race. Verstappen’s sixth-place finish, coupled with Sergio Perez’s underwhelming P8 result, has allowed McLaren to close the gap in the constructors’ standings to just eight points. With eight races still to go, the once-dominant Red Bull team now finds itself under immense pressure to fend off a resurgent McLaren, as well as the ever-present threat from Ferrari and Mercedes.
Verstappen’s winless streak now stretches to six races, an unprecedented run of poor form for the driver who has become synonymous with victory in recent years. His frustration was palpable as he spoke to Sky Sports F1, warning that without significant changes, Red Bull’s season could quickly unravel. “If we don’t change anything on the car, it’s all going to be bad from now onwards to the end of the season, so we have a lot of work to do,” Verstappen stated, his words underscoring the urgency of the situation.
Reflecting on the race, Verstappen acknowledged that even without the engine issues, it would have been a difficult day. “It would still have been a bad race [without the engine issues], but at least maybe you are a bit more competitive,” he said, highlighting the team’s lack of pace relative to the competition. “We were in no man’s land basically doing our own race. It’s part of racing, unfortunately. It’s not what I want, but we know that this exists as well. We are pushing hard now.”
As the Formula 1 circus prepares to head to Baku, the pressure on Red Bull is mounting. With time running out to address the issues that have plagued their recent performances, the team faces a pivotal moment in their campaign. For Verstappen, the message is clear: Red Bull must act decisively to turn their season around, or risk watching their championship hopes slip away.
