Downcast Max Verstappen rues 'bad' Red Bull display

Max Verstappen was left disappointed following a challenging opening day of action at the British Grand Prix.

Verstappen commenced his weekend with a run to 10th during the first free practice session of the event.

Helmut Marko asserted improvements were made for FP2, and while Verstappen progressed up the pecking order into fifth, he remained half a second down on session-leader Lando Norris.

It left the four-time champion in a dejected mood after the session as he reflected on a difficult day behind the wheel.

“For me personally, it was a pretty bad day,” Verstappen said. 

“Just no balance in the car. It was very difficult to corner as well, so quite a poor day for us in general.”

When asked if he was surprised by the extent of his balance struggles, Verstappen replied: “Not really. 

“Every weekend is a different scenario, now with the wind around here, it seems our car is quite sensitive to it. In general, it’s not been an easy day.”

Several cars endured spins during the two sessions as high-speed gusts were prevalent throughout.

While it had a major impact on Verstappen's pace, the Dutchman asserted it is not an excuse for his lack of performance.

“[It affected the car] a lot, but of course that’s not an excuse,” he said. 

“Everyone has to deal with that. It’s the same for everyone.