Verstappen Claims 'We Were Nowhere' Despite Topping Mexico FP2

Despite clocking the fastest time in Free Practice 2 for the Mexico City Grand Prix, Max Verstappen expressed significant concerns about his Red Bull's performance, particularly with tire grip and temperature management over long runs. He sat out FP1, leaving him with ground to make up, but indicated that even a P1 in FP2 couldn't mask deeper issues.

Why it matters:

Max Verstappen's dominance this season has been unparalleled, making his critical assessment of the Red Bull's performance in Mexico surprising. If the reigning world champion is struggling with fundamental issues like grip and tire temperatures, it could open the door for competitors and create a more unpredictable race weekend, a rare occurrence given his recent form.

The Details:

• Missed FP1: Verstappen did not participate in the opening practice session, with rookie Arvid Lindblad taking his place, which meant he had less track time to acclimatize.
• Grip and Tire Issues: According to Verstappen, the primary concern in FP2 was a severe lack of grip, leading to rapidly overheating tires during sustained runs.
  • He explicitly stated, "The balance wasn't even off. It was just no grip. That is the bigger concern. As soon as you go into a sustainable run, tyres are going hot. We were nowhere."
• Short vs. Long Runs: While he managed a strong lap on soft tires in the short run, Verstappen described the medium tire short run as "not great" and highlighted the "big problem is the long runs where we seem to struggle a lot."
• Historical Performance: Verstappen has an impressive record at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, winning the Mexican Grand Prix five times in his career.

The Big Picture:

Verstappen has been in blistering form, winning three of the last four Grands Prix. While he's not currently in a direct championship battle, he is applying pressure on McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, who are locked in a tight fight. A challenging weekend in Mexico could disrupt his momentum and provide a significant opportunity for his rivals to gain ground or confidence.

What's next:

The Red Bull team will be working intensively to address the grip and tire temperature issues ahead of qualifying and the race. If they can find a solution, Verstappen's historical success at this circuit could still see him contend for victory. However, if the problems persist, Mexico could prove to be one of his most challenging weekends in an otherwise dominant season.