Max Verstappen endured a dreadful qualifying session for the São Paulo Grand Prix and will line up for the round at Interlagos a lowly P16 on the grid.
The Dutchman struggled to find his rhythm during the sprint race earlier on Saturday, and as a result, Red Bull talked about making changes to the car’s setup in an attempt to turn things around ahead of the grid-setting session.
Instead of improving the situation, however, things took a completely different turn. Verstappen do not feel any better behind the wheel of his RB21 — in fact, he found himself in an even worse position.
Early in Q1, he was already stuck in the danger zone and ultimately could not claw his way out — a serious blow to any title ambitions.
Exactly what caused the poor performance remains unclear. After qualifying, Verstappen appeared on Sky Sports Germany, where he explained the issue.
"It was just bad," the four-time F1 drivers' champion said. "I couldn’t push at all; the car was all over the place.
"It was sliding massively. I had to drive well under the limit just to avoid moments, but of course, that doesn’t work.
"We first need to analyse what’s going on, because right now I don’t understand how it can be this bad. That’s more important for us at this moment — to understand it."
So, there’s work to be done — though it remains to be seen how the team intends to fix things. After qualifying, the parc fermé rules come into effect, meaning only limited changes can be made to the cars.
Should the team decide to alter anything outside those restrictions, Verstappen could be hit with a penalty.
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Drastic measures?
That, however, seems to be part of the solution Red Bull is now considering.
Team principal Laurent Mekies admitted during qualifying — after both Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda were knocked out — that his team had simply made the wrong call.
"We did take some risks," the Frenchman told Sky Sports F1.
"We did significantly change the car, because that's the sort of risk you have to take, if you want to give yourself a chance to put the car back in a window where it could fight for something bigger than where we were this morning."
So, a complete overhaul may now be on the cards, because at this rate, the race looks set to be just as difficult as the previous sessions this weekend.
If Red Bull does indeed opt for radical changes, Verstappen would face a penalty — meaning he’d have to start from the pit lane rather than P16.
Helmut Marko confirmed to ORF after qualifying that it’s an option the team is considering: "We now have to look at what we’re going to do about this situation.
"Whether we’ll make further drastic changes, for instance. That would mean starting from the pit lane, but we need to sit down calmly and decide what the best option is."
New components
If Verstappen’s car does undergo further modifications, he’ll trade his P16 grid slot for a start from the pit lane.
The upside is that he could end up with a better-balanced car — one that feels more comfortable and allows him to perform more effectively.
Red Bull could also take the opportunity to replace various (power unit) components, adding fresh parts to the pool.
Normally, such changes come with a pit-lane start — but since that would already be the case due to setup changes, Red Bull might as well refresh everything.
That would allow Verstappen to make full use of a new power unit for the remaining races this season — a potential advantage his key rivals, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, would not share.
In addition, Red Bull could choose to alter the specification of the car’s floor. The team introduced a modified version in Mexico, but doubts remain internally about the performance of that update — particularly as Red Bull has struggled for grip ever since. Verstappen, notably, did not run the latest floor version during qualifying in Brazil.
If Red Bull does go ahead with radical changes, it would make sense to swap out power unit components as well.
In Brazil, Verstappen would not lose much compared to starting P16, and it could pay off handsomely in the final three rounds of the season — a strategic move well worth considering.
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