Verstappen Faces Challenging Practice Day at Silverstone
Silverstone, UK – Max Verstappen expressed disappointment following his performance during Friday practice at the British Grand Prix, labeling it a "bad day" for the Red Bull team. Despite experiencing some slip in form this season, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner assured fans that the team is implementing new strategies to enhance performance.
Verstappen, who is currently third in the drivers’ standings and has achieved four consecutive championships with Red Bull, struggled with car balance, finishing 10th in FP1 and 5th in FP2. He acknowledged that the windy conditions at Silverstone significantly affected his driving, stating, "There’s just no balance in the car… a quite poor day for us in general."
Despite his frustration, early long-run data suggested that Verstappen’s pace was competitive with McLaren’s leading duo, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. However, he reiterated the team’s performance deficit: "We’re lacking a bit of performance," he noted.
In response to media inquiries about his future with Red Bull amid speculation linking him to Mercedes, Horner maintained a confident stance. "We’re feeling comfortable about the situation, but it’s always evolving," he commented. Looking to the future, Horner highlighted investments in new tools to ensure the team remains competitive, including a state-of-the-art wind tunnel set to come online within the next year.
Addressing specific car issues, Horner pointed out that the team is experiencing understeer and losing crucial time in turns 6 and 7. He remains optimistic about tuning the car overnight to improve performance in the upcoming sessions.
As the team prepares for Saturday’s qualifying event, the focus will be on resolving the identified balance issues and enhancing overall performance ahead of the race.
