Max VerstappenPlayer·Max Verstappen said Red Bull’s Barcelona weekend is already being shaped by tyre trouble after he finished sixth in second practice for the Spanish Grand PrixCompetition·Spanish Grand Prix. The Dutch driver, who ended FP2 more than 0.8 seconds off the pace, said the car lacked grip and balance as attention now turns to qualifying.
Verstappen’s assessment pointed to a problem that went beyond outright speed. He said he did not feel comfortable in either the fast or slow corners, and added that the car had not given him the confidence he needed over a single lap. Those comments suggest Red Bull must solve both setup and tyre-performance issues before Saturday’s session if it wants to close the gap at the front.
According to Verstappen, the issue is rooted in how the car is working with its tyres rather than one specific compound. He said Red Bull had no grip on any tyre type and that the car’s behaviour was poor throughout the session, leaving the team with more work than expected for the rest of the weekend.
The broader picture from Barcelona was already competitive, with Formula 1Competition·Formula 1’s FP2 classification described as very tight at the top. But Verstappen’s sixth-place result, combined with his deficit to the leading time, indicated that Red Bull was not immediately in the fight with the front-running cars on Friday afternoon.
That does not decide the weekend. Practice is still only a baseline, and Red Bull now has a clear target: find enough balance and tyre performance to give Verstappen a more competitive package for qualifying. The team’s response in the final practice session will determine whether the gap in Barcelona remains a warning sign or becomes a more serious obstacle.
Max Verstappen in his Red Bull RB22 during free practice at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix. Credit: Eibner/IMAGO
Eibner/IMAGOThis article was generated by AI (sonar-pro). Learn more.
