Jos Verstappen Criticizes Red Bull's Performance Amid Son's Decline
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Max Verstappen's father, Jos Verstappen, has criticized Red Bull for the drop in the RB21 F1 car's performance despite a new floor upgrade. Ferrari and McLaren have brought effective upgrades that enhanced performance in the Austrian GP.
Max qualified for P7 at the Red Bull Ring after his flying lap was aborted due to yellow flags. Sunday's race ended for the four-time world champion with a DNF after Andrea Kimi Antonelli crashed into him on the opening lap.
Not only Max, but his teammate Yuki Tsunoda has also been struggling with the RB21 car as he finished the race in the last position. The Japanese driver's performance has notably dropped after being promoted to the Milton Keynes-based team early this season.
Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing and Jos Verstappen look on in the garage during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on November...
Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing and Jos Verstappen look on in the garage during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on November 24, 2023 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. MoreMax called his father after the Austrian GP qualifying session, when Jos was attending to his rally driving duties in Belgium. Addressing the conversation they had on the phone, and pointing out Red Bull's performance concerns, Jos told Race Express:
"I have seen a little bit of qualifying.
"I saw the last lap when he got the yellow flags, but it didn't look fast enough.
"I already heard it on the phone, he said, 'Yeah, it's just not good enough.'"
Addressing the updates brought in by other teams, Jos added:
"Ferrari has brought a good update, we know that McLaren are always at the front and who else is in between?
"Mercedes is kind of in between, and I think the update that Red Bull brought doesn't make that much of a difference.
"You can see it in Tsunoda, too; he doesn't even reach Q2. So yeah, the speed has fallen from there."
Red Bull's performance challenges arrive amid swirling rumors about Max moving to Mercedes in the future. George Russell confirmed ongoing talks between the Red Bull driver and his team, but Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff revealed that there was a very low probability of Max racing for Mercedes next year. He said:
"I think when you look at the situation we have with Kimi [Antonelli] and George, we have a perfect line-up that we very much enjoy, that we believe is the future.
"But at the same time, there is a four-time World Champion that needs to decide what he's going to do in the future, and that is just, as a team principal, you need to see where that is going.
"But I think I give it a very little probability that this is going to happen."
When asked if the little probability was for 2026 or the long-term future, he said:
"I don't know what's going to be in three or five years.
"That's why you need to look at what should be considered on the long term."
He added:
"Nothing needs, in a way, to come towards favourable for us, because with George and Kimi is what we want to be and what we want to continue.
"But, in order to plan right for the long term of the future, you've got to understand what other people do."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Yahoo
How to watch the British Grand Prix: TV channel and live stream for Silverstone today
The Formula One circus has again descended on Northamptonshire for the British Grand Prix. It is a race which could prove pivotal in the grand scheme of the drivers' championship. Home hero Lando Norris, who now has a stand at Silverstone named after him, came into the weekend sitting second in the standings, 15 points shy of his teammate Oscar Piastri. A win for Norris could see him usurp the Australian and move back onto the top rung, but both were pipped to pole by Max Verstappen. Lewis Hamilton has been off the pace this season as he struggles to get to grips with his new Ferrari, but is allowing himself to dream after an impressive showing in Friday practice. "It was a really good day,' he said. 'Great to see the crowd, amazing to be out on track in a Ferrari here at Silverstone. "The Red Bull and McLaren have an upgrade, so for us to be in the mix still given they have had a step today is really positive. "Definitely feel we can dream of having a strong weekend but putting it all together and extracting it is another thing.' TV channel: The British Grand Prix will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with coverage starting from 2pm BST ahead of lights out at 3pm. Coverage will also be available for FREE on Channel 4. Live stream: Sky subscribers can watch the action live online with the Sky Go app and website, or via NOW TV. Coverage is also available for FREE online via Live blog: Follow the action lap by lap right here with Standard Sport's LIVE blog!
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Shane van Gisbergen's Chicago Burnout and Near-Miss Sparks Debate Over Dangers in Victory Celebrations
Shane van Gisbergen's Chicago Burnout and Near-Miss Sparks Debate Over Dangers in Victory Celebrations originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Shane van Gisbergen and Chicago have become synonymous with one another. Since NASCAR started going to the Windy City in 2023, the New Zealand driver has made his way to Victory Lane each year on the 2.20-mile track. Advertisement The 36-year-old did it during his Cup Series debut two years ago, stunning the NASCAR world with multiple drivers, including Chase Elliott, admitting it was embarrassing to have someone come in and win during his first-ever race in the sport. The three-time Supercars champion took the checkered flag first again in 2024, not in Cup but in the Xfinity Series. It was one of three wins during his first full-time season with the Series. He also won at Portland and Sonoma. The Kiwi — in his rookie Cup season — recorded his second career win just a few weeks ago in Mexico City, which, much like Chicago, was the series making its inaugural visit to a circuit featuring right and left turns. Shane van Gisbergen celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series race on the Chicago Street coming into the weekend along the shores of Lake Michigan were that SVG could win one if not both races. Advertisement He accomplished the first step on Saturday, out dueling his JR Motorsports teammate and fellow Red Bull driver Connor Zilisch on a late restart, recording his third win in the nation's third-largest city. After making a cooldown lap around the track, the No. 9 car slowed down the frontstretch before the engine started revving and smoke started billowing out from behind the rear tires. The burnout continued in front of the fans gathered in the grandstands. The CW camera operator was providing the television-viewing audience a close perspective of the burnout, standing on the track-side of the concrete wall, which serves as the barrier between pit road. He almost got too close. Advertisement As the JRM car approached, SVG turned hard to the left and the right rear of the car whipped around. The screen immediately filled with smoke before the camera abruptly tilted to the side, the operator getting knocked off balance. It was a near-miss. It was a close call. It was a disaster narrowly averted. It was all of those things — and it wasn't the first time. It's happened in the past. The broadcast trying to get the best close-up shot of the victory celebration as possible. However, at some point, the question needs to be asked — at what costs? It feels like it's just a matter of time before the close call becomes an accident. It could result in a cameraperson losing their balance like today, a minor injury like a sprained ankle, or who knows, even much worse. Advertisement Related: Richard Petty Doesn't Sugarcoat Feelings on Playoff Format After Shane van Gisbergen Win in Mexico This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Newsweek
6 hours ago
- Newsweek
Lewis Hamilton Reveals What Cost Him British GP Front Row Start
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has opened up on his British Grand Prix qualifying session at Silverstone, pointing out the factors that prevented him from starting on the front row. The British GP marks Hamilton's first home race after his move from Mercedes to Ferrari early this year. The Briton admitted his wish to secure a podium finish in the race. However, that goal might have become a little bit more difficult to achieve, given his P5 race start. Hamilton's journey in adapting to Ferrari's SF25 F1 car hasn't been easy, and his recent performances suggest a longer learning curve. Despite many doubting his abilities, the 40-year-old pushed hard to arrive at a point where he could say he was comfortable with the car's setup. Related: Lewis Hamilton Reveals Advice he Would Give Max Verstappen for Mercedes Hamilton admitted that he was impressed with his car's setup in qualifying, suggesting that it should help him battle Max Verstappen and both McLarens. He told Sky Sports F1 after qualifying: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Ferrari speaks in the media pen during the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on June 29, 2025 in Spielberg, Austria. Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Ferrari speaks in the media pen during the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on June 29, 2025 in Spielberg, Austria."Pretty decent qualifying. It's generally been a decent weekend so far. "I'm definitely feeling more comfortable with the set-up of the car and the balance of the car. "Right up until the last corner I think I was close to second on the grid, but had a bit of understeer and ended up losing a tenth-and-a-bit. "In Q3 run two [Red Bull] always come out of nowhere and they are always quick. It's not a surprise. "In Q1 the timing was off and we only had one lap of fuel and there was still time on the table. It was a big, big risk and definitely was not well executed and we executed better in the next two. "I think it will be very, very hard to beat the McLarens or the Red Bulls but when there is a will there is a way. "I'll give it absolutely everything tomorrow. We are a little bit far behind where I want to be but with the weather and this amazing crowd..." Hamilton also stressed that he was witnessing progress within the team and in the car. He said: "We are making progress. There's still more to make, but we obviously had the upgrade in the last race. We are improving our process, the way we go about our weekends definitely feels like we're punching, punching out better results, so keep pushing." Related: Alex Albon Frustrated with Williams' 'Compromise' in British GP Qualifying
