Max Verstappen slams Red Bull's performance after fraught Silverstone weekend

World champion Max Verstappen voiced strong disappointment after a difficult race weekend at Silverstone, saying that even a podium finish would not have been deserved. He highlighted serious technical deficits in the Red Bull car, including poor balance and a struggling hybrid power unit that loses pace on circuits requiring strict energy management.

During qualifying, Verstappen was shown a cryptic message on his display indicating that the team did not fully understand the car’s problems, a point noted by analysts. The issues forced the driver to consider starting from the pit lane just to keep the car under control. Team technical director Laurent Mekies confirmed that the current engine configuration hampers performance on energy‑limited tracks, and both the driver and the team foresee similar challenges at upcoming races such as Spa‑Francorchamps and Monza.