Max Verstappen received a warning about his attitude towards Red Bull Racing’s difficulties in the 2026 Formula 1 season. For the former driver Christijan Albers, the four-time world champion should show more support for the team even when the results do not meet expectations.
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The season has been marked by ups and downs for Verstappen. The Dutch driver has achieved four podiums, but technical problems and results inferior to those of the main rivals left the Dutchman in sixth position in the championship before the August break.
During the podcast of the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, Albers acknowledged that Verstappen’s frankness is one of his main qualities, but stated that this characteristic can also have negative effects: “There are many positive sides to Max, but there are also negative sides. There are 22 drivers who want to have the best car and want to win. On the other hand, I can also appreciate the fact that he is so open and honest,” he said.
For Albers, Verstappen may end up being overly focused on his own expectations when expressing his dissatisfaction with the team’s performance: “I think he is so focused on himself in this regard that he no longer realizes that the other 21 drivers also want to win and become champions. Not everyone has the best car, but on the other hand, you can also appreciate his attitude,” he said.
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When asked if Verstappen should defend Red Bull more, the former driver agreed and highlighted the difficulty of developing a competitive car: “You can’t just create a basic package out of nowhere. You have to work with the material you have,” Albers added.
He also drew attention to the number of professionals involved in the team’s project: “There are a thousand people working in the factory and maybe seven hundred of them want to go in the same direction as you,” concluded the former driver, emphasizing the need to consider the collective effort behind the car’s development.
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