Red Bull Racing experienced another difficult Sunday at the Japanese Grand Prix, leaving with only 4 points thanks to Max Verstappen, far from their usual standards, and zero points for Isack Hadjar.
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The four-time world champion appeared lucid, almost resigned, in the face of the current limits of his car, even if he takes away some positive elements in a globally frustrating race.
After several failed starts at the beginning of this season, Verstappen succeeded in his start this time, even gaining a position on the first lap after starting eleventh.
A start finally mastered
« My start was better, I didn’t lose too many positions, I was able to pass several cars, and then I reached my ceiling », he explains.
Notable progress, but it wasn’t enough to compensate for the car’s overall lack of performance. Very quickly, the Dutchman found himself stuck behind Pierre Gasly, with no real possibility of a lasting overtake. Energy management proved to be a major limiting factor.
« I could have overtaken him but he would have passed me back immediately because my battery would have been empty. I tried once, I succeeded but on the straight I had no battery left and it was over », he details.
This observation highlights a structural problem: the inability to attack without immediately compromising defense, which makes any battle on track extremely complicated.
A car difficult to exploit
Beyond the simple lack of pace, Verstappen insists on the very negative sensations behind the wheel, similar to those already observed in qualifying.
« Yesterday was a disaster; today, I simply got the most out of my car… I just tried to hang on », he confides. A revealing statement from a driver forced to endure rather than attack, far from his dominant position of previous seasons.
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More than the final position, it’s the driving technique that poses a problem for the Dutchman: « Of course, I would like to win, but I can accept driving in seventh position. The way I drive with these systems is not very fun », he admits.
The situation is all the more concerning as Red Bull now finds itself neck-and-neck with Alpine F1 Team in the championship.
A tightening hierarchy
Verstappen acknowledges the progress of the French team: « It’s not negative compared to Alpine, they are doing a very good job, it’s just not where we want to be. »
A strong admission that confirms Red Bull’s decline in the current hierarchy. With a month-long break approaching, Verstappen intends to split his time between personal competition and working with the team to rectify the situation.
« This situation is not sustainable for us. We need to understand our problems and bring improvements », he asserts.
A weekend to forget for Hadjar
For his part, Isack Hadjar experienced a particularly frustrating race, ruined from the first lap by a major energy management problem. Starting 8th with high ambitions, the Frenchman quickly lost all his battery, becoming easy prey on the straights.
« I had no battery… I was overtaken by everyone and I had to recharge, I was stuck, it wasn’t pleasant », he explains.
A problem all the more penalizing as the overall pace was already not at the expected level: « The car was undriveable, even dangerous… I was being dropped on the straight, it was so bad. »
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