After a complicated start to the season in Australia, Max Verstappen admits that Red Bull still needs to resolve several weaknesses. Tire management could notably pose a problem as early as this weekend in China.
Read more McLaren admits a worrying delay: major upgrades are not for right now
The first Grand Prix of the 2026 F1 season was not easy for Red Bull. In Melbourne, the Austrian team was never really able to compete with Mercedes and Ferrari at the front of the pack.
The situation became even more complicated for Max Verstappen during qualifying. The four-time world champion was the victim of an accident that forced him to start from the back of the grid for the race.
Despite this setback, the Dutchman managed to achieve a solid comeback in the race, ultimately finishing in sixth place after overtaking several competitors over the laps. An encouraging performance in a generally tricky weekend for the Milton Keynes team.
Verstappen believes, however, that this comeback allowed Red Bull to collect valuable data to better understand its car.
“It was good to get back to racing and it was encouraging to see that we were able to make a good comeback during the Grand Prix,” he explains.
Tire wear at the heart of concerns
Beyond the raw result, one problem particularly caught the Dutch driver’s attention: tire degradation.
On the Albert Park street circuit, Red Bull encountered difficulties in preserving its tires over the duration of the stints, which limited the car’s pace against its direct rivals.
“The team did a great job to get back into the race, but there is still a lot to do and a lot of things to learn from this first event,” emphasizes Verstappen.
The Red Bull driver clearly points to this factor as one of the main weaknesses observed during the Australian weekend: “We were particularly affected by tire degradation in Melbourne.”
A problem that could repeat in Shanghai
This issue could also play a role during the Chinese Grand Prix. The Shanghai circuit is known for putting tires to the test, especially in the long curves and acceleration phases.
Read more 2026 Chinese Grand Prix: a sunny weekend in Shanghai
Verstappen admits that Red Bull must also analyze certain aspects related to the energy management of its car.
“Degradation can also be a problem on this circuit in Shanghai, and energy deployment management is also a point we need to examine.”
For the Austrian team, the goal is therefore clear: accumulate more data and improve the overall behavior of the car.
“We will continue to collect information and work to improve the car. We are still in the learning phase and we want to fight more this weekend.”
A sprint weekend that complicates the task
Red Bull’s mission will however be made more delicate by the sprint format of the Chinese weekend. Unlike a classic weekend, teams will only have one free practice session before the competitive sessions.
This reduced preparation time could complicate the car’s setup.
“It’s a sprint weekend, so we’ll have less time to work on the car’s settings, recalls Verstappen. We need to make sure we are immediately performant as soon as we hit the track.”
The Shanghai circuit remains nonetheless a playground appreciated by drivers. Its technical layout, composed of a wide variety of corners and long straights, offers regularly great overtaking opportunities.
“It’s a fairly unique circuit, with a demanding layout and several overtaking possibilities,” concludes Verstappen.
Read more Scare at the start of the Australian Grand Prix: McLaren calls for a quick reaction from the FIA