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Max Verstappen Finds Culprit After Baku GP Qualifying 'Falls Apart'

On Friday, Max Verstappen qualified eighth at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, trailing polesitter George Russell by 1.5 seconds. The Red Bull driver revealed his car was "down on power" throughout qualifying, labeling his Q3 performance "a disaster."
A combustion engine problem caused significant power loss, while a battery charging failure in Q3 left Verstappen starting behind team-mate Isack Hadjar. He described the engine as "just not working," preventing any competitive lap.
Verstappen identified this weekend as a missed opportunity, noting Mercedes is receiving an upgrade next week in Malaysia. "We've certainly done a great job messing up that chance," he told the Dutch media at the Baku City Circuit.
While admitting he remains "genuinely frustrated," the four-time world champion emphasized he must be realistic about his prospects. He intends to try passing cars on race day, though acknowledges the team's performance has been "too fragile at times."
The Baku upgrade provided a decent step, but Verstappen insists Red Bull requires a "much bigger step" for next year to compete. He noted the team must fine-tune the power unit despite limited development options under current regulations.

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