Villeneuve: Verstappen 'all over the place' and not in right mental space

Jacques Villeneuve has launched a sharp critique of Max Verstappen, claiming the reigning champion is "all over the place" and not in the "right mental space" to help Red Bull overcome its current struggles. The 1997 champion's comments come after a difficult Chinese Grand Prix sprint for Verstappen, who recovered from a poor start to finish only ninth and score no points.

Why it matters:

Villeneuve's analysis points to a potential crisis of confidence for a driver accustomed to dominance, suggesting Verstappen's frustration with an "undrivable" car is a new and destabilizing experience. If the four-time champion cannot find a way to work with the car's limitations, it could severely hamper Red Bull's ability to develop its way out of a performance slump, especially amid significant internal team changes.

The details:

• A Driver Lost: Villeneuve argued on Sky Sports F1 that Verstappen currently has "no feedback" from the RB20, leaving him frustrated and unsure how to extract performance. "He just knows the car is undrivable. He doesn't know what to do with it," Villeneuve stated.
• A Stark Contrast: The Canadian contrasted this with 2023, where even when the car was off the pace, it responded to Verstappen's driving style and could be fine-tuned. The current lack of response is, in Villeneuve's view, a first for Verstappen in his F1 career.
• Team Turmoil as a Root Cause: Contrary to optimistic views of Red Bull's new leadership, Villeneuve highlighted the departure of key figures Adrian Newey, Christian Horner, and Helmut Marko as a pivotal factor. "Those were the pillars of the team. So maybe they're starting to pay the price for that," he suggested, implying the technical and leadership exodus is now impacting performance.

What's next:

The immediate focus is on the full-distance Chinese Grand Prix, where Red Bull has historically salvaged difficult weekends. However, Villeneuve is skeptical of a quick turnaround due to Verstappen's mental state. The larger question is whether this period marks a temporary blip or the beginning of a sustained challenge for the champion and his team. If performance does not improve, speculation about Verstappen's long-term future with the team, a notion Villeneuve and others hinted at, will only intensify.