Max Verstappen has tempered expectations of a title charge despite scoring his best result of the 2026 season with second place at the Austrian Grand Prix, warning that Red Bull still has "too many issues" to mount a realistic championship challenge.
The four-time F1 drivers' champion crossed the line just 1.6 seconds behind race winner George Russell at the Red Bull Ring, climbing from fifth on the grid to take his second podium of the campaign.
Yet the result did little to mask a difficult start to the new regulations era for the Milton Keynes outfit, which sits fourth in the constructors' standings on 115 points, a staggering 187 adrift of Mercedes.
Verstappen is seventh in the drivers' championship on 73 points, 98 behind leader Kimi Antonelli with 14 — confirmed — rounds remaining.
Red Bull introduced a comprehensive upgrade package in Spielberg, which was the foundation for his resurgent form, but when asked whether the title was still possible, the Dutchman was measured in his response.
"I think there are more races left, right, than last year, but it's a very big gap," Verstappen told media, including RacingNews365. "I think for us we had very good pace, but I think to fight for a title we need to be more all-around.
"I think we still have too many issues, if that's from a start to just procedural issues in the background that even I think you guys don't know about, but I know about. I think we just need to be a little bit more all-around still."
Red Bull's struggles run deeper than pure pace
The cryptic reference to behind-the-scenes problems will raise eyebrows, particularly against the backdrop of persistent speculation about his future with Red Bull.
Verstappen's 2026 season has included two retirements and numerous mid-level points finishes; only in Canada and Austria has the RB22 shown genuine front-running potential.
"It's not a big criticism or whatever," he added in clarification. "I think everyone is aware, but we always want to be better; we chase to be the best.
"So, we just need to focus on all of those things. And then, yes, if we are a bit more, let's say, rock solid, and we've shown that in the past, then of course it's a different story.
"But hopefully it doesn't take too long. We still have a little bit of work to do."
Also interesting:
Join RacingNews365's Nick Golding and Samuel Coop as they look back on last weekend's Austrian Grand Prix but also look ahead to Silverstone! What Red Bull must do to keep Max Verstappen is a lead discussion, as is Kimi Antonelli's costly mistakes.
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