Max Verstappen, the four-time Formula 1 world champion, faced a challenging qualifying session in Sao Paulo. He finished in 16th place, which dashed his title hopes for the current season. This result marked a notable performance issue as he had not been eliminated in the first qualifying session since the 2021 Russian Grand Prix due to engine problems.
Uncompetitive Performance in Sao Paulo
During the sprint race, Verstappen qualified sixth but managed to gain two positions by overtaking Fernando Alonso at the start. He advanced further when Oscar Piastri crashed. Despite this slight improvement during the sprint, his overall qualifying performance raised concerns.
After the session, Verstappen expressed frustration over the lack of grip in his car. He indicated that Red Bull’s attempts to modify the vehicle did not yield positive results. “We need to understand what our problems are, first of all,” he stated. “It’s not been good. It seems that we don’t really understand why it’s going that way.”
Changes Made by Red Bull
In an effort to improve performance, Red Bull reverted to an older specification of the car’s floor. This specific floor had previously contributed to their performance boost during the Italian Grand Prix in early September. Despite this significant change, Verstappen remained skeptical about its effectiveness, stating, “It’s two different floors, so clearly, that is not it.”
Conclusion
With the Sao Paulo qualifying session resulting in a 16th place finish, Verstappen’s title hopes appear bleak. The team must address the underlying issues to regain competitiveness in future races.
