NEWS
Disappointment for Verstappen in Zandvoort: "We are too slow"
Even in front of his home fans, Verstappen has to contend with a weak performance from Red Bull. A rapid improvement is unlikely to happen in 2026.
It remains probably the most difficult season for Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing.
Even with the roaring applause of the Dutch fans in Zandvoort during qualifying, he falls short of his expectations.
Once again, the home team is without a chance in the fight for the top spots and is even only the fourth force behind Ferrari. Naturally, Verstappen is therefore completely dissatisfied despite his contract extension a few days ago.
Verstappen without a chance: "Difficult, we are too slow"
Even before the race weekend, the "Orange Army"'s anticipation for a successful home race for Verstappen in the Dutch dunes was quite high.
The Red Bull star had made it onto the podium before the mid-season break in both Belgium (P3) and Hungary (P2). Of course, he also benefited from errors and retirements from the competition. But now, he and Red Bull have come back down to earth.
"It's difficult. We are simply too slow," the 28-year-old explained after qualifying. He had already been struggling with grip issues and a lack of balance throughout the entire first half of the season. He is also plagued by these problems in Zandvoort.
"We've already changed a lot, but it pretty much felt the same," he added.
So why is Verstappen extending his contract?
Precisely for these reasons, the contract extension a few days ago came as somewhat of a surprise to some motorsport fans.
The Dutchman decided to stay with Red Bull Racing for four more years despite the ongoing problems. However, he would have had no other choice if he wanted to continue his F1 career. The direct competition, including Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren, is unlikely to replace their drivers in the future.
Furthermore, the relationship under Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies seems to be more harmonious again, in contrast to the recent turmoil with Christian Horner.
Whether sporting success will return is, of course, difficult to predict at the moment. At least in Sunday's main race, a comeback will likely not be possible on his own (from 3:00 PM in the LIVE ticker <<<).
