Verstappen considers pit lane start but Red Bull opt not to change RB22 engine
Max Verstappen may opt for a pit lane start at the British GP
Max Verstappen said he would rather start the British Grand Prix from the pit lane than race his troubled Red Bull in its current specification after a qualifying session blighted by engine problems.
Red Bull, though, opted not to change his RB22’s power unit and he will therefore start where he qualified, P7 on the grid.
Max Verstappen explained why he would accept a pit lane start
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The four-time world champion complained about his Red Bull Powertrains engine during the session, telling his race engineer GianPiero Lambaise: “This engine is not responding as normal.”
His complaints continued, “What a disaster. Unbelievable.”
Verstappen revealed that it was an issue with his power unit, with the Dutchman concerned that the problem could continue into Sunday’s Grand Prix.
“It was just not going forward,” he told PlanetF1.com and other media.
“It’s just not pulling the same as it was. On a track like this, of course, you need as much power as you can so it’s extra painful.
“Driver input can make a difference. I’ve tried a lot of things in qualifying, but it was just always the same.
“So, there is a clear problem with the engine that we can’t find and that worries me for tomorrow because there is actually no point to race like this.”
The Dutchman revealed he would rather make changes to his RB22 and take a pit lane start after breaking parc ferme conditions than race the car as it was in qualifying.
“If we leave the car the same, there is little point in racing,” Verstappen told De Telegraaf.
“I prefer to change everything, because if we don’t do anything, we will continue to drive around this place.
“Or we will fall back one place.”
Red Bull, though, made the call not to change his engine and the Dutchman will line up seventh on the grid.
More from qualifying for the British Grand Prix
Kimi Antonelli stars as Max Verstappen struggles: British GP qualifying winners and losers
Kimi Antonelli beats Ferrari duo to British Grand Prix pole at Silverstone
Verstappen reckons after qualifying at Silverstone that any talk of him being in the fight for the title after his runner-up result in Austria should be silenced.
“They shouldn’t ask me that anymore,” said the 28-year-old.
“I also said last week that you should never look at one weekend alone.
“Everyone comes up with updates at different times, including this weekend. And then the proportions look different again.
“In general, we just come up short.”
He added: “Towards the rest of the season we have to see to what extent we can improve the car step by step, because of course you also have to deal with the budget cap.
“At the moment, I’m especially looking forward to going home on Sunday evening…”
Additional reporting by Thomas Maher
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