Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen expressed his frustration with Red Bull, stating that they had transformed a dominant car into an undriveable monster, leading to both titles potentially slipping away. Verstappen finished a disappointing sixth at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday. The Dutch triple world champion, who won a record 19 of 22 races last year in a season that was highly one-sided, started 2024 with promise but has now gone six races without a win. He currently leads McLaren's Lando Norris by 62 points with eight races left, while McLaren trails by just eight points in the constructors' standings.
Verstappen criticized the transformation of the car at Monza, a circuit known for its high speed where he had previously won in 2021 and 2022. "Last year we had the most dominant car ever, and we turned it into a monster," he told reporters. "We need to turn it around. Right now, winning both championships seems unrealistic." Verstappen attributed his inability to race at full power to an engine issue and suggested the team's strategy could have been improved.
"We went from a very dominant car to an undriveable one in just six to eight months," he added. "That's very strange for me. We need to completely overhaul the car." During the race, Verstappen was heard on the radio urging the team to stay alert. He later explained that this was due to issues with battery management and the team's failure to inform him when he could push harder. "These are basic things that need to be managed properly. Even though I'm not racing anyone directly, it shouldn't matter in an F1 race where you have to optimize everything," he concluded.
