Verstappen: "We Were Nowhere" in Long Runs Despite Leading F1 Mexico GP FP2

Max Verstappen Expresses Concerns Over Red Bull’s Performance in Mexico

Max Verstappen has voiced concerns about Red Bull’s performance during the first two practice sessions of the Formula 1 Mexico Grand Prix. The Dutch driver, who sat out the first practice session, was given a chance to focus on the second session, where he managed to top the times by 0.153 seconds over Charles Leclerc. This marked a significant advantage over title rivals Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who trailed by 0.251 seconds and 0.840 seconds respectively.

Verstappen’s performance in the second session was largely attributed to a strong qualifying simulation lap. However, the longer runs revealed a more troubling picture for Red Bull. The team's struggles with tire management and overall pace were evident, which raised concerns for the upcoming race.

“The short run on the soft, we managed to do a good lap,” Verstappen said. “The rest, everything else was pretty bad. The medium short run was not great, and the big problem is the long runs, where we seem to struggle a lot. So that is, of course, a big concern for the race.”

During a 12-lap run on the medium tires, Verstappen encountered severe issues with his car’s handling. He reported on the radio: “It’s terrible, I have no grip, it’s like driving on ice.” When asked about the cause of the problem, Verstappen expressed confusion. “I don't know yet. The balance wasn't even off. It was just no grip – that is the bigger concern. As soon as you go in a sustainable run, tyres are going hot. We were nowhere. So that's a tough one to sort out as well.”

Verstappen also emphasized that his single-lap pace would not be enough to secure a win in the race. While he has previously won races this year due to narrow pole positions and strong Sunday performances, the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit does not offer the same advantages.

“You're not going to win the race like that,” he insisted. “You can be fast over one lap, but if you have absolutely zero pace in the race, then it's going to be very tough. So I prefer to be fast in the race and not so fast over one lap.”

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko echoed Verstappen’s concerns about the team’s performance. “We saw this sort of non-grip. As you said, it was like ice. And you saw he was quite a bit sideways as well. We have to find something. Otherwise, against Norris and also the Ferraris and Mercedes, it will be more than difficult.”

Marko added that while Red Bull was competitive in the qualifying simulations, they were not as strong as Norris on the soft tire. “On long runs, the way Norris was going, he’s just pulling away. If it stays like that, he’ll be gone.”

Despite these challenges, Marko found some comfort in the fact that McLaren’s Lando Norris significantly outpaced his teammate Oscar Piastri. “The good thing is, Norris seems to be, again, much more competitive than Piastri. So, it's a long race, let's see what happens.”

The situation for Red Bull remains uncertain as they head into the race weekend. With the team struggling in long runs and facing strong competition from both McLaren and Ferrari, Verstappen and his team must find solutions quickly to remain competitive.