Verstappen warned against 'big solution' despite Red Bull 'brainstorm'

Max Verstappen has been warned not to expect a "big solution" to Red Bull's issues for his home race in the Netherlands this month despite the ongoing 'brainstorming' inside the team.

From a period of superiority early in the season after winning four of the first five grands prix and threatening to dominate this year again as he did the past two seasons, Verstappen's aura of invincibility has disappeared.

It is now four races without a victory for the three-time F1 champion, his longest drought since the end of 2020, although his early form means he holds a comfortable 78-point cushion over McLaren's Lando Norris at the top of the drivers' standings.

With 10 grands prix remaining after the summer break, plus three sprints, it seems inconceivable Verstappen could be caught but the recent erratic performance of the RB20 means the door is ajar for Norris to sneak through.

With F1 currently in shutdown, "which means no work can be done on the car", as stated by Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, it means the possibility of addressing the car's weaknesses is severely limited going into the race at Zandvoort

"We have to solve our problems and find out where the problem lies because we no longer have the balance in the car if you compare the current situation with the first three races," remarked Marko in his column for Austrian publication Speedweek.

"It is difficult to estimate how quickly that will happen. I don't think that the big solution will come in Zandvoort. We are brainstorming intensively and have various ideas, but I can't say yet what we will implement and how."

Marko, though, has confidence Verstappen will again overcome the deficiencies of the car.

Verstappen's qualifying performance for the recent Belgian Grand Prix underlines his feelings as the Dutchman set the fastest time at the end of the session, only to be demoted 10 places and start 11th due to an engine penalty.

Verstappen was on pole position for the Austrian Grand Prix last month, although that has been his only confirmed pole in the last seven races after starting with seven in a row this term.

Nevertheless, and looking ahead to the Dutch GP which Verstappen has won on the last three occasions, Marko added: "One thing is clear, qualifying in Zandvoort will be crucial because overtaking is almost impossible there.

"Max could well manage a good qualifying because he has been good there recently. We were the fastest in Austria and also in Spa. In Hungary, we were only a few hundredths of a second off, so we are complaining at a high level."