Max Verstappen believes that Red Bull must imperatively gain in performance and consistency to reverse the trend during the second half of the season.
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Max Verstappen does not hide his disappointment after the eleven first rounds of the 2026 season.
For the first time in several years, Red Bull has still not won any Grand Prix at the summer break. Although the Dutchman has stood on the podium several times, he has never been able to convert these performances into victory.
The four-time world champion makes a clear assessment.
“It has been difficult. Overall, this first part of the season has been very complicated.”
He nevertheless acknowledges that some reasons for satisfaction have punctuated this start of the year.
“There have been some good moments, some bright spots, but overall, it remains a difficult period.”
More consistent weekends
According to Verstappen, Red Bull must above all regain more consistency.
The performance of the RB22 has often varied from one session to another, complicating the preparation for the Grand Prix.
“We need to be stronger in all areas and manage to have much simpler weekends.”
The Dutch driver believes that this stability is one of the keys to returning to the front.
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“We just need more performance”
Beyond consistency, Verstappen points out an obvious problem: the lack of pure performance.
In a season marked by a real development race between teams, Red Bull must continue to evolve its car.
“We just need to find more performance. In the end, it’s as simple as that.”
Fixing the weaknesses of the RB22
Verstappen also wants Red Bull to fix the problems currently affecting the RB22.
Since the start of the season, he has regularly complained about the car’s behavior, especially its balance and aerodynamic limitations.
“In addition to finding more performance, we also need to eliminate the problems we are currently facing with our package.”
As the Dutch Grand Prix approaches, which will mark the resumption of the championship after the summer break, Max Verstappen’s message is clear: Red Bull must improve on all fronts if the team wants to finally find the path to victory during the second half of the season.
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