Max Verstappen makes alarming Red Bull claim after shock Brazil Q1 exit

Max Verstappen and Red Bull endured a nightmare qualifying at the Brazilian Grand Prix, with Verstappen failing to progress beyond Q1.

Verstappen’s first Q1 exit since Russia 2021, and his first on pure pace ever in Formula 1, the reigning world champion was a shock casualty in the opening stage of qualifying. Alarmingly, Verstappen said that Red Bull has no idea what caused the RB21 to suffer so profoundly, Verstappen at a loss as to “how it can be this bad.”

Max Verstappen falls in Brazilian Grand Prix Q1

Verstappen was able to recover to fourth from P6 on the grid in the Brazil Sprint. But, as qualifying for the Grand Prix arrived, disaster struck.

Both Verstappen and Red Bull teammate Yuki Tsunoda – as they began their final Q1 lap – were left in need of a quicker time to make the Q2 cut. Neither driver could manage it.

“It was just bad,” Verstappen lamented as he spoke to Sky F1 after his elimination.

“I mean, I couldn’t push, at all. The car was all over the place, sliding around a lot.

“I had to underdrive it a lot, just to not have a moment, and that, of course, doesn’t work in qualifying.”

Verstappen will be 16th only on the grid for Sunday’s Grand Prix. He won from further back at Interlagos last year, but under very different circumstances. This time, there is no grid penalty which places Verstappen into unfamiliar territory. It was simply a lack of pace.

And concerningly, Verstappen says he and Red Bull have no idea why they were so slow.

“I mean, we first have to analyse what is going on,” said Verstappen when asked what is possible in the race.

“I don’t really understand how it can be this bad. So that’s a bit more important to understand at the moment.”

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Speaking to the media post-qualifying, Verstappen reiterated that “it seems like we don’t really understand why” the RB21 took such a turn for the worse.

“Just no grip,” he added. “Changed a few things in the car and it didn’t work, so that’s something that we need to figure out.

“Nothing really seems to work. We changed a lot on the car, and, yeah, we just don’t understand.

“Something is clearly just not working for us. Even with the changes of the set-up, normally, you would feel some kind of reaction, but it doesn’t. So, yeah, something is just really off.”

Verstappen admitted that at this point, he can “forget about” the idea of winning a fifth consecutive Drivers’ title. He goes into the race 39 points behind Lando Norris in top spot.

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