Red Bull finds positive note despite early Canada struggles

Red Bull Racing Technical Director Pierre Waché delivered a positive message despite the team's struggles in Sprint Qualifying at the Canadian Grand Prix. According to the Frenchman, there is still more performance to extract from the car.

Why it matters:

Red Bull's difficult start in Montreal raises questions about their ability to maintain dominance in a season where Mercedes, McLaren, and Ferrari are closing the gap. Unlocking the RB22's full potential is crucial for Verstappen's title hopes.

The details:

• Friday was a day to forget for Red Bull Racing. Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar finished seventh and eighth respectively in Sprint Qualifying, behind both Mercedes, McLarens, and Ferraris.
• Reviewing the team's day, Waché said: "In practice we tried to learn as much as possible for the rest of the weekend... Sprint Qualifying didn't go as we had hoped, we had an issue with Max where car performance deteriorated as the session went on, so we need to understand that."
• He ended on a positive note: "I think we had more performance available to us, but we just weren't able to extract it today."
• Verstappen explained his struggles to F1 TV: "My feeling in the car was not very good. I was struggling a lot with the ride of the car. I couldn't put my foot down, my feet were flying off the pedals. It made it very difficult to be consistent."
• Looking ahead, Verstappen said: "That is something we need to investigate. We are stuck with that for the Sprint. Hopefully it will be better for Qualifying."

What's next:

Red Bull faces a tight turnaround to resolve the ride issues before the Sprint race. The team's ability to adapt quickly will be key to limiting damage in Canada and maintaining momentum in the championship fight.

Meanwhile, Verstappen confirmed to De Telegraaf that he will stay in Formula 1 for the 2027 campaign: "Yes, definitely. Unless some really crazy things happen, but I don't expect that. I hope everyone keeps their word."