Max Verstappen admits Red Bull struggles in Mexico

Max Verstappen has admitted that his Red Bull simply isn't moving astatine the Mexican Grand Prix, aft finishing 5th successful qualifying. The reigning four-time champion is trying to drawback up with McLaren successful the rubric race, but Mexico City has proved to beryllium the archetypal superior obstacle successful his instrumentality to form.

Problems with adhesion and overheating of tires

After taking his 3rd triumph successful the past 4 races successful Austin past week and closing the spread connected person Oscar Piastri to 40 points, Verstappen expected the affirmative streak to proceed successful Mexico. However, the precocious altitude and slippery aboveground of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez proved to beryllium an insurmountable obstacle.

"I don't deliberation we've been peculiarly bully each play erstwhile it comes to overheating the tires, which is simply a immense occupation here," said Verstappen. "At this altitude, arsenic soon arsenic you commencement to slide, the tires instantly overheat. That's not bully for us, that's clear."

The Dutchman finished qualifying astir fractional a 2nd down pole-sitter Lando Norris, portion Piastre volition commencement from seventh.

Nothing works – vexation astatine Red Bull

“You tin bash a batch with balance, but of people it doesn’t lick everything,” explains the Red Bull driver. “In Austin we were precise fast, but determination we had to wage much attraction to definite corners than McLaren oregon Ferrari. The car was bully then, truthful we could fell it. But here, if you person neither equilibrium nor grip – it’s over.”

“I’ve tried each the imaginable directions with the settings and thing works. Maybe 1 absorption drives a small amended than the other, but we’re conscionable excessively dilatory with it.”

His struggles were evident done the accelerated left-hand country fig 9, wherever helium had to drawback the instrumentality aft a batch of skidding. “Just ticker the cockpit footage and crook up the measurement – you’ll perceive what’s going connected there,” helium added.

There is nary constituent successful creating mendacious hope

Although Helmut Marko believes that the podium is inactive possible, Verstappen did not stock that optimism. "Of course, if 2 cars springiness up successful beforehand of me... There's nary constituent successful creating mendacious hope. It's conscionable not going to hap this weekend. Unless thing unforeseen happens, it's not going to hap - that's the mode things are."

"The large problem, of course, is that Lando starts up front," helium admitted. "We're not that acold down Oscar successful presumption of points, but we knew we had to beryllium cleanable until the end. This, of course, is not ideal."