Image source: Alamy Stock Photo
2026 FIA Formula One World Championship
2026 Austrian Grand Prix
Red Bull Ring
Spielberg, Austria
Sunday, 28 June 2026
Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen continues to insist the team is nowhere near mounting a challenge to their rivals ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday, June 28.
The Dutchman has only finished on the podium once this season - a P3 at the Canadian Grand Prix - as Red Bull have struggled with the RB22 car since the new changes were implemented for 2026.
Verstappen retired from the Chinese and Monaco Grand Prix's due to a coolant leak and engine failure respectively, while he was unable to keep up with his Mercedes and Ferrari counterparts in the other five races.
Image source: Alamy Stock Photo
It was clearly evident at the Barcelona Grand Prix, where the 28-year-old only managed to qualify fifth on the grid and despite improving to P4 as a result of Kimi Antonelli's retirement, he was well off the pace of the frontrunners.
Verstappen finished a distant 40.497 seconds behind race winner Lewis Hamilton and was nearly 17 seconds adrift of McLaren's Lando Norris, who completed the podium.
The four-time world champion commended his team on a "good" pit-stop strategy, but admitted improvements are needed to the car as well as tyre management.
Image source: Alamy Stock Photo
"Pretty lonely to be honest for me the whole race. There was not so much going on - I was mainly just following the battle ahead on the screens, because for me we were just too slow," Verstappen said.
"On every [tyre] compound we couldn't follow, so every stint we lost a few seconds. A little bit tough, but on the other hand also [it's] pretty much how the whole weekend was, I guess. On every compound I'm just lacking a little bit, so we tried to do our best.
"I think strategy-wise we did a good job - it was the winning strategy, so we cannot complain about that. We just need to work harder and try to improve the car, with clear areas where we need to improve.
"The car's lacking in some places, but at the same time I think also tyre management, we're still a bit behind when you have the high-energy tracks, so that's stuff we need to work on."
2026 Barcelona Grand Prix results:
Winner: Lewis Hamilton - Ferrari
Second Place: George Russell - Mercedes
Third Place: Lando Norris - McLaren
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