Max Verstappen cut a dejected figure at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, conceding that Red Bull’s pace is simply not enough to challenge McLaren’s dominance after Friday’s opening practice sessions.
The reigning world champion, piloting an upgraded Red Bull, struggled with the car’s balance and handling, finishing seventh in FP1 and fifth in FP2, nearly half a second off the pace set by McLaren’s leaders.
The Dutchman’s frustration was palpable, culminating in a moment where he was seen punching his steering wheel after a scrappy lap marred by several wide moments.
Verstappen’s assessment of Red Bull’s performance was blunt.
“We tried a lot. Some things worked better than others but overall not fast enough at the moment,” he said, acknowledging the gap to McLaren.
His struggles were not limited to single-lap pace; long-run performance also exposed Red Bull’s shortcomings.
“I think it’s the same in the long runs. I got overtaken by the McLarens so that says enough right? They pull away,” Verstappen admitted, highlighting the significant advantage McLaren holds.
©RedBull
When asked about his confidence heading into the rest of the weekend, he was candid: “At the moment not very high.
“We definitely need a bit more work to just get a better through corner balance to go faster. But even then, compared to other teams around us I think it was a bit tough today.”
Marko Echoes Verstappen’s Concerns
Red Bull’s team advisor, Helmut Marko, shared Verstappen’s pessimism, though he acknowledged some progress since the team’s lackluster showing in Miami, where Verstappen finished 40 seconds behind McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.
“Disappointing, McLaren is still, from what it looks like, four tenths ahead - that’s quite a lot on this track,” Marko said, emphasizing the sizeable gap on Imola’s demanding layout.
He noted that the team’s upgrades had yielded some improvement, but not enough to close the distance to McLaren.
“We have made some progress with our updates but, basically, we haven’t come much closer. The fact remains that McLaren is absolutely superior,” he stated.
Marko provided some context for Red Bull’s performance, pointing out that the gap to McLaren had narrowed slightly since Miami.
“In Miami we were seven tenths to a second behind in the race. Here, it looks like we are about four tenths behind. That would mean we’ve made a step forward,” he explained.
“But let’s wait and see how qualifying goes and how the tyre degradation is in the race. It seems like that has improved a bit.”
Marko also found a silver lining in the performance of Verstappen’s teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, who improved from 16th in FP1 to eighth in FP2.
“Also, we have something positive: Yuki [Tsunoda] is within a tenth of Max and is coping well with this set-up,” the Austrian noted.
Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Free Practice 2 - Results
As Red Bull heads into Saturday’s sessions, Verstappen and Marko’s comments paint a picture of a team grappling with a car that, despite upgrades, remains a step behind McLaren’s papaya machines.
With qualifying looming, Verstappen’s hopes of challenging for pole – and a shot at victory – hinge on finding a breakthrough in car setup to unlock the pace needed to close the gap.
For now, the Dutchman’s confidence remains low, and Red Bull’s prospects at Imola appear uncertain.
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