Verstappen Critiques Red Bull After Troublesome Azerbaijan GP Qualifying
Max Verstappen expressed frustration with Red Bull's performance after qualifying eighth in Baku, citing engine and battery issues. Despite a strong start in practice, qualifying woes left him far from pole position.
Max Verstappen's attempt to secure pole position in Baku ended in disappointment, with the Red Bull driver qualifying a mere eighth. After a promising practice session where he led the timesheets, Verstappen's qualifying run was marred by technical issues that left him visibly frustrated.
During the final practice on Baku's challenging street circuit, Verstappen outpaced both Mercedes drivers, George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, foreshadowing an intense qualifying battle. However, with Antonelli out following a Q1 crash, the anticipated duel with Russell never materialized as Verstappen's session crumbled in Q3.
Reflecting on his struggles, Verstappen said, "The whole Qualifying was not how it should be." An engine issue from Q1 saw him lose half a second on the straights compared to teammate Isack Hadjar. Matters worsened in Q3 when his battery failed to fully charge on a crucial lap, forcing him to abandon it, which disrupted his tire temperature management — a critical factor on Baku’s circuit.
As if the technical gremlins weren't enough, Verstappen's final lap was further compromised by a yellow flag triggered by Lando Norris's incident ahead of him. "It's not good enough," Verstappen lamented, acknowledging the difficulties in matching Russell’s pace but noting that a second-place finish was within reach if not for the litany of issues.
"When you have that many issues, you also don't deserve to be there," Verstappen added, emphasizing the need for Red Bull to address these reliability concerns.
In contrast, Isack Hadjar had a more favorable outing. Returning from a three-race absence due to a wrist injury, Hadjar qualified fourth, only the fourth time this season he has outpaced Verstappen. "I'm actually even surprised to be that close from second," Hadjar admitted, signaling more potential to unlock as he cautiously managed his return on the tricky Baku track.
Despite the setbacks, Verstappen's focus remains on improving Red Bull's robustness to avoid such problems in future sessions. Meanwhile, Hadjar's strong performance offers a silver lining for the team, highlighting his capability to challenge the front runners when conditions are right.