Max Verstappen Faces Challenges at Mexico Grand Prix
Max Verstappen has admitted that his Red Bull Formula 1 car is not performing as expected during the Mexico Grand Prix, following a fifth-place qualifying result on Saturday. The reigning world champion reignited the title battle with his third win out of four races in the previous United States Grand Prix, reducing his gap to leader Oscar Piastri to 40 points.
This performance put Verstappen in a position where he can still influence the championship outcome, but it requires a near-perfect run over the final five races to overtake Piastri and second-placed Lando Norris.
However, the Dutch driver faced an early setback in Mexico City, where his Red Bull RB21 struggled with sliding due to the high-altitude conditions of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Tyre overheating further compounded his issues, resulting in a nearly half-second deficit compared to Lando Norris, who secured pole position.
Norris Dominates Qualifying, Piastri Struggles
Lando Norris delivered a dominant performance, securing pole position as he aims to take the lead from Oscar Piastri, who will start the race from seventh place on Sunday.
Verstappen expressed his concerns about the team’s ongoing challenges with tyre overheating, which have been a recurring issue throughout the season. “At this altitude, you start sliding and then the tyres heat up a lot immediately. And that doesn’t suit us, that’s clear,” he said after finishing nearly half a second behind Norris.
Technical Issues Affect Performance
Despite recent progress in improving car balance and ride heights, Verstappen and Red Bull were unable to replicate their success due to the low-grip surface in Mexico. “You can do a lot with balance, but of course that doesn’t solve everything,” he explained. “In Austin, we were also very fast, but if you look at the race, we always have to manage a lot more in certain corners than, say, a McLaren or a Ferrari.”
Verstappen tried various setup adjustments, but none provided a significant improvement. “I tried all set-up directions and nothing works. Maybe one direction drives a little better than the other, but we were just too slow with that one too.”
Onboard Footage Reveals Car Issues
The Dutch driver’s struggles were evident during the session, particularly through the fast Turn 9 left-hander, where he frequently had to correct massive snaps of oversteer. When asked by Motorsport.com about the problem, Verstappen suggested viewers watch the onboard footage and turn up the volume to understand what was happening. This indicated that he was likely bottoming out over the bumps on the track.
Red Bull Advisor Remains Optimistic
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko believes a podium finish is still possible for Verstappen on Sunday, although the driver himself remains skeptical. “Sure, if there’s two cars dropping out ahead of me… There’s no point in creating false hope. It’s just not going to happen this weekend. And if nothing crazy happens for me, then it won’t happen. That’s just how it is.”
Title Implications Highlight Challenges
Verstappen is acutely aware of the implications for the championship if he finishes strongly while Norris secures 25 points on Sunday. “The big problem, of course, is that Lando is starting up front,” he acknowledged. “We’re not that far behind Oscar in terms of points, but we knew we had to be perfect until the end. Then this is not ideal, of course.”
