Max Verstappen's Feet Flew Off Pedals Due to Bouncing Red Bull in Canada Qualifying

Max Verstappen revealed an unusual problem after Sprint Qualifying at the Canadian Grand Prix: the bouncing of his Red Bull RB22 was so severe that his feet were flying off the pedals, making it impossible to be consistent. The four-time champion will start Saturday's Sprint from seventh place, more than half a second off pole.

Why it matters:

• The issue highlights Red Bull's ongoing struggle with ride quality on bumpy circuits, a weakness that has resurfaced after early-season upgrades seemed to improve performance.
• With parc ferme conditions locking the setup for the Sprint race, Verstappen has no opportunity to fix the problem before Saturday's short race, potentially costing him valuable championship points.
• Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies had warned that recovery would not be linear, and this weekend appears to confirm that prediction.

The details:

• Verstappen complained about the car's ride over bumps during SQ2 and SQ3, noting that his feet were "flying off the pedals."
• He ended SQ3 in seventh, over 0.5s behind George Russell's pole time.
• The team cannot make changes for the Sprint, forcing Verstappen to manage the difficult handling as best he can.
• Red Bull had shown improvement in Miami after upgrades, but Canada's bumpy surface exposes the car's ongoing sensitivity.

What's next:

• Verstappen will focus on damage limitation in the Sprint, then hope for setup improvements ahead of Grand Prix qualifying.
• The team will investigate the bouncing issue to find a solution for the main qualifying session on Saturday afternoon.
• If Red Bull cannot make a stride forward, this weekend could be another setback in their pursuit of closing the gap to Mercedes and McLaren.