Max Verstappen explains ‘unacceptable’ Red Bull radio comment at Belgian GP

Max Verstappen took to team radio early in FP2 at the Belgian Grand Prix, lamenting “unacceptable” downshifts in the Red Bull RB22.

Following the session, Verstappen explained that he is “always very sensitive to these things.” He pointed to a Red Bull software update as being behind the unsatisfactory downshifts, a situation which he said slightly improved. Overall, Verstappen felt that the car was in “quite a good window.” His final FP2 deficit was “nothing shocking now” for the four-time champion.

Max Verstappen ‘very sensitive’ to Red Bull downshifts

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Verstappen topped the opening practice session at Spa-Francorchamps, sparking early optimism surrounding Red Bull.

Energy deployment is expected to be stretched to its greatest extreme yet this weekend. Red Bull’s internal combustion engine – adjudged to be the best by the FIA at the first ADUO checkpoint – therefore could make an impact.

But by the end of FP2, and the qualifying simulation, Verstappen was just within half a second of Kimi Antonelli’s P1 pace.

Speaking after the session, Verstappen offered a realistic, but not necessarily downbeat reflection.

“I mean, it’s been alright for me,” he said. “I didn’t really have big problems. The car has been quite in a good window.

“Probably in FP2, you see a little bit more the real gap still, but that’s nothing shocking now, it’s just expected.

“It’s just a bit of a tough track with the energy management as well. It seems like we’re a bit slower on the straights compared to some of our competitors. But balance-wise, it’s been quite okay.”

Now for the elephant in the room, those downshifts.

“My god, these **** shifts! Unbelievable, man. Why are they so ****?! It’s unacceptable this.”

That radio message from Verstappen was delivered to Red Bull during FP2. It is not uncommon for Verstappen to complain about gearshifts, though the frustration was clear in this moment.

Verstappen explained his grievance.

“I’m always very sensitive to these things because I want to work on that and improve it,” he said.

“I think there was like, kind of a software update, or downgrade, that it took a bit of time for the shifts to learn basically, and then it got a bit better again at the end.”

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In summary, Verstappen stated on the RB22 that “some bits were working well, and then sometimes it wasn’t working. But overall, the car has been in a decent window.”

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