Verstappen: Red Bull "Shouldn't Be Battling Racing Bulls" on Pace

Max Verstappen voiced strong concerns about Red Bull's performance at the Dutch Grand Prix, stating that his team "shouldn't be battling" sister squad Racing Bulls on pure pace. Verstappen finished third, with Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar just behind in fourth, both benefiting from Lando Norris's late retirement.

Why it matters:

Red Bull, a dominant force in recent F1 seasons, is struggling with its car's performance, leading to an unusual on-track battle with its junior team. This indicates significant underlying issues for the championship contender.

The details:

• Performance Gap: Despite a podium finish, Verstappen's fastest lap was 0.650s slower than race winner Oscar Piastri. He lamented that McLaren is "on another level" and that Red Bull's speed "really wasn't there."
• Sister Team Rivalry: Verstappen was closely shadowed by Hadjar throughout the race, with the gap rarely exceeding three seconds. He emphasized that fighting their "sister team based on pure pace shouldn't be happening," pointing to inherent problems with the RB21.
• Set-up Struggles: Red Bull has faced difficulties unlocking the RB21's full potential due to narrow set-up windows. Verstappen avoided the hard compound tires, which he found "terrible" in practice, opting for soft and medium tires for better mechanical grip in slow corners where the car struggled.
• Second Car Woes: While Racing Bulls is having a strong season (60 points), Red Bull's second car consistently underperforms. Yuki Tsunoda, though scoring points at Zandvoort, was a second slower than Hadjar.

The big picture:

This season marks a significant shift for Red Bull, likely their first title-less year since 2020. The unexpected rivalry with Racing Bulls, combined with the struggles of their own second car, highlights a critical period for the team as they grapple with the RB21's limitations.