Red Bull employee highlights the ‘fundamental issues’ with Max Verstappen’s 2025 car he has to ‘constantly’ fight

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Max Verstappen’s ninth-place finish at the Hungarian Grand Prix marks the fourth race in a row where he has failed to finish on the podium, his longest podium-less streak since the beginning of the 2018 F1 season.

The Red Bull driver’s results are a far cry from where we are used to seeing him finish, with George Russell’s podium in Hungary closing the gap to Verstappen to just 15 points.

With Verstappen’s performance clause at Red Bull now satisfied, a more fruitful performance from Russell in Belgium last weekend could have raised some further awkward conversations about the Dutchman’s future at the team.

David Croft was surprised by the Red Bull engineers in Hungary after they failed to quickly turn around the issues that Verstappen was dealing with at the Hungaroring.

The commentator referenced the quick fixes that they would previously apply to the RB21 after Friday’s practice sessions and ahead of qualifying.

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Rudy van Buren reveals how the Hungaroring ‘exposed’ the capabilities of Red Bull’s RB21

Speaking on the RacingNews365 NL podcast, Red Bull simulator development driver Rudy van Buren agreed with Croft’s sentiments, saying, “There have definitely been moments where things didn’t go well on Friday, and no big step came on Saturday either.

“The car just has some fundamental issues that don’t want to work. Those get really exposed in Hungary due to the nature of the circuit. Almost no high-speed, and everything else is basically in the speed range where the car isn’t in its sweet spot.”

Despite aiming for the ‘sweet spot’, van Buren also notes that the RB21 still isn’t the best car on the grid when Red Bull engineers align the stars, continuing, “There are just limitations in the car. Maybe the hardest part is that sweet spot, that just isn’t really hittable.

“That’s been the story the whole year: if that sweet spot is hit, it’s not the fastest car, but it’s at least in the second or third range. But hitting that sweet spot just didn’t happen this weekend at all.

“If you look at the data trace, in one session it’s below the line, the next it’s above. Then the temperature drops, wind direction changes, and the balance just keeps bouncing between both sides of that line.

“Then you can’t really expect the driver in question, whether it’s Max or Yuki, to get the maximum out of it. You’re just constantly fighting the car.”

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Max Verstappen’s form in 2025 has taken a hit in recent Grands Prix

We would have to go back to the Canadian Grand Prix in June for Verstappen’s last appearance on the podium, where he finished second in between the Mercedes of Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

It was around this time last year that the cracks started to show within the Red Bull setup. Off the back of a mightily dominant 2023 season, the 2024 season looked like it was heading in the same direction with Verstappen winning seven of the first 10 Grands Prix.

After 14 rounds in 2024, the Dutchman tallied nine podiums, whereas this season, he has recorded just over half of that amount with five. Despite this, Helmut Marko doesn’t think Verstappen’s championship hopes have expired just yet.

If Marko’s words are to come to fruition, Verstappen and Red Bull will need a massive turnaround in results. The Dutchman is now 97 points behind Oscar Piastri in the leading spot, nearly four full Grand Prix wins ahead.

McLaren are yet to feel the wrath of their Mercedes engine, which has caused issues for customer teams throughout the 2025 season. Some engine issues later on in the season could see the title being played into Verstappen’s hands for his fifth consecutive world championship.