Verstappen's 'Horrendous' Practice Struggles Continue at Japanese GP

Max Verstappen's ongoing difficulties with his Red Bull RB20 persisted during final practice at the Japanese Grand Prix, with the reigning champion describing the car's handling as "horrendous" and struggling for pace behind rivals from Ferrari and McLaren. The session highlighted a significant challenge for the team to resolve setup issues before qualifying at a circuit where they have dominated in recent years.

Why it matters:

Verstappen's lack of comfort and pace is a stark contrast to his usual Friday dominance and raises immediate questions about Red Bull's competitiveness for the remainder of the weekend. With Ferrari's Carlos Sainz setting the pace in FP3, these struggles could signal a genuine opportunity for other teams to challenge for pole position and victory at Suzuka, potentially disrupting the expected pecking order.

The details:

• Verstappen's feedback over team radio was notably frustrated, citing a complete lack of rear grip and a car that was "jumping around like a kangaroo."
• His best lap time in FP3 was over three-tenths of a second slower than Sainz's benchmark, leaving him only sixth fastest on the timesheets.
• The issues appear to be related to the car's balance and its sensitivity to the set-up window at Suzuka's high-speed, flowing layout, a weakness that has been occasionally exposed this season.
• In contrast, teammate Sergio Perez seemed to have a more stable car, finishing the session in third place, which suggests the problem may be specific to Verstappen's chassis setup or driving style adaptation.

What's next:

All eyes will be on Red Bull's engineering team to diagnose and rectify the balance issues before the critical qualifying session. If they cannot find a solution, Verstappen may face a rare uphill battle starting from outside the front rows. The session sets the stage for a potentially dramatic and more open qualifying battle than anticipated, with Ferrari and McLaren looking to capitalize on Red Bull's vulnerability.