Formula 1 had another warning sign for Red Bull at the Japanese GP, with Max Verstappen demonstrating strong dissatisfaction with the RB22 during FP3. The four-time champion spared no criticism of the car’s performance in Suzuka.
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The driver’s outburst reinforces a start to the season marked by frustration, as the team’s performance still does not meet expectations. Even among the fastest, Verstappen was unable to extract consistent evolution throughout the session.
During practice, the Dutchman remained in contention among the front-runners, oscillating between second and third position. Still, when trying to improve his fast lap, he encountered difficulties that prevented any significant progress.
The irritation was evident in the radio communications with engineer Gian Piero Lambiase. “What is going on with these gear shifts on a lap? It’s horrible, the downshifts,” the driver questioned.
Lambiase tried to better understand the problem and asked for more details. “Tell me the corner, please, Max,” the engineer replied, seeking to identify the source of the fault.
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Verstappen’s response made the level of dissatisfaction clear. “Everywhere. Everywhere it’s horrible,” he snapped, demonstrating widespread frustration with the car’s behavior.
The problems were not limited only to the team leader. Teammate Isack Hadjar also faced difficulties and finished the session further back, in 11th place, finishing just over a tenth behind Verstappen.
The scenario highlights that Red Bull is still looking for solutions to find the best setup for the RB22. The difficulties reported by the four-time champion indicate that the car still presents inconsistencies, especially on fast laps.
With qualifying approaching, the team will have little time to react and adjust the car. For Verstappen, the challenge now will be to transform dissatisfaction into performance, in a weekend that promises to be more complicated than expected in Suzuka.
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