Formula 1 once again exposed the team’s difficulties at the 2026 Japanese GP, with Max Verstappen missing out on Q3 and starting only in 11th. The Dutchman highlighted recurring problems with the car and stated that there is still much to be understood before the race.
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The irregular performance throughout the weekend culminated in a complicated qualifying session, marked by a lack of confidence in the car’s behavior.
“We had several problems throughout the weekend, so we need to understand why qualifying was so difficult to drive,” said the driver.
Verstappen pointed out specific difficulties with the car’s balance, especially in the corners. “We struggled a lot with sliding and when it came to making the car turn in the middle of the corner, with quite a bit of understeer. There are many things to analyze,” he explained.
Despite a slight improvement in FP3, the problems returned in qualifying. “In FP3 it was a bit better, but we struggled again in Q3. Sometimes the car is more predictable, others not, and that makes everything more complicated,” he added.
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The driver stated that detailed work with the data will be necessary before the race. “We need to evaluate everything calmly. There is a lot to analyze overnight,” he said.
Team principal Laurent Mekies reinforced that the challenges faced are not new and had already been seen previously. “We have a lot of work to do and we are far from where we want to be. It was difficult for both drivers,” he stated.
According to him, the priority now is to understand the car’s limitations and evolve. “Some of the problems are similar to those we had in China. We need to identify the causes and find solutions,” he explained.
For the race and the rest of the season, the focus is on continuous learning. “We will use all possible data and work on development. It may take time, but the way forward is to understand and come back stronger,” concluded Mekies.
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