Max Verstappen has never been so ‘downbeat’ about his Red Bull F1 car after Chinese Grand Prix

Follow us on Google Discover

Max Verstappen launched a scathing attack on his RB22 and the 2026 F1 regulations after retiring from the Chinese Grand Prix, in a mood that has rarely been seen.

The four-time champion offered little competition in Shanghai as Kimi Antonelli secured his maiden F1 pole position and win. Verstappen failed to score points in the Sprint and qualified down in eighth for Sunday’s race.

Red Bull started the Dutchman on soft tyres, which proved a costly mistake as they wore down quickly and he struggled to make up ground. Verstappen would later retire the car with an ERS problem, prompting his harsh criticism.

What’s gone wrong for Red Bull?

Comment

Like or Comment

Have your say Sign-in now for free

Verstappen’s dislike for the 2026 regulations is no secret. He had warned about the changes when they were first announced, and now that he is driving these new cars, he is not impressed at all.

Verstappen labelled the regulations as a ‘joke’ after the Chinese Grand Prix, criticising F1 fans who like them as not knowing real racing. His media debriefs in Shanghai left many journalists stunned.

Max Verstappen has never been so ‘downbeat’ about his car

Journalist Nate Saunders was one of the people interviewing Verstappen in the media pen, and he felt that he had never seen the Red Bull driver in such a bad mood. As he notes, it was a sharp contrast to Lewis Hamilton, who has openly stated he is having fun with the new regulations.

Speaking about Hamilton’s battle with Charles Leclerc via ESPN UK, Saunders said: “I was so impressed with the way he and Leclerc raced. I was so impressed with the fact that Ferrari didn’t panic.

“We saw that last year, didn’t we, in Miami and a few places where they said to Lewis, ‘give the place back here, or we’ll do this,’ and Fred Vasseur said: ‘No, we just let them race.’

Is Toto Wolff planting the seeds for poaching Max Verstappen from Red Bull? 🤔

Comment

Like or Comment

Have your say Sign-in now for free

“And I was really impressed with that. So, you can see why Lewis is sat there buzzing and having this great time. And then, as you say, Max just had this awful weekend.

“I mean, I don’t think I’ve seen Max in as bad a mood as that, and just as kind of downbeat about his car. I can’t remember that anyway. Maybe there were times in 2024 when the car was getting away from him a bit, but that seemed really extreme.

“And it’s so interesting that the extremes of the moods of every driver at the moment, actually, it really turns up or turns down the way they’re thinking about the cars. So, pretty stunning stuff.”

READ MORE: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Red Bull need to take action as Max Verstappen reaches breaking point with F1 regulations

After just two races, Red Bull and Verstappen are in a difficult situation. The RB22 is not on the same level as the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari, and their star driver cannot get to grips with the new cars and how to properly manage them.

Red Bull’s car is 10kg overweight, which is another factor in Verstappen’s struggles. The 28-year-old is also struggling to handle the car, as his rivals are starting to notice.

Toto Wolff said Verstappen looked horrendous after watching his onboard camera in Shanghai. It highlights just how much Red Bull need to improve the car to get him comfortable.

But his scolding comments about the regulations are likely not something he will backtrack on anytime soon. Verstappen claims he would feel the same if he were to win, and that seems almost impossible right now.