Max Verstappen makes surprise revelation: 'I deliberately held back'

Max Verstappen has revealed he has deliberately held back on multiple occasions this season, admitting Red Bull's recurring problems have changed the way he approaches risk during race weekends.

The Dutchman appeared to have rediscovered his rhythm in the RB22 during Friday practice at Monza, only for familiar issues to return in qualifying.

Bouncing and imbalance plagued the four-time F1 drivers' champion throughout Saturday's session, leaving him sixth-quickest in the grid-setting session for the Italian Grand Prix.

It continued a frustrating pattern for Verstappen and Red Bull in the 2026 season, with flashes of pace repeatedly undermined by handling problems and reliability concerns.

While Verstappen has built his reputation on extracting the maximum from difficult machinery, he admitted the circumstances have forced him to take a more measured approach.

Verstappen explained that the constant setbacks have altered how he assesses risk. Rather than treating every position as if a title were on the line, he has tried to balance his natural aggression with the reality of the team's situation.

Speaking to Dutch media, including RacingNews365, Verstappen was asked whether the recurring issues still frustrate him.

"I'm not surprised by it any more," he said. "Almost every weekend this season there has been something, so you just have to keep going. We're not fighting for the championship. It doesn't matter all that much.

"I always want to get the best out of it. If it doesn't work out because something keeps going wrong, I still get frustrated.

"But on the other hand: you're not fighting for the championship. So you have to try and put it in perspective a bit."

Verstappen admits holding back

The most striking admission came when Verstappen revealed he has consciously eased off on multiple occasions this season.

"I've had it a few times this year where I deliberately held back, yes," he said. "We've had some issues this season.

"When you're racing for seventh place, I'm obviously not going to drive like [with a knife to the throat] when something might go wrong."

Asked whether the issues were genuinely dangerous, Verstappen drew a clear distinction, adding: "With the rear wing, if you suddenly lose aerodynamic downforce, that is dangerous.

"This [the bouncing] is just a loss of lap time. You're driving on the limit, but you can't exploit it optimally because the car is bouncing from all sides."

When a journalist raised the "Papier-Waché" nickname, a play on technical director Pierre Waché's name, Verstappen laughed the reference off.

"I'm not going to use that one," he responded. "It's a shame. Look, I know everyone is doing their best, and it's not like you can point the finger at one person.

"This is a very big team, but it is a shame that so many things this season just haven't always been right, or at least haven't worked properly."