Max Verstappen Says His Feet Were Flying Off the RB22 Pedals in Montreal

Max Verstappen revealed the extent of the problems he faced during Sprint Qualifying for the 2026 Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix after finishing only seventh at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The Red Bull Racing driver admitted the RB22 was so difficult to control over Montreal's bumps that his feet were even coming off the pedals while driving.

The result marked one of Verstappen's most challenging qualifying performances of the season. Throughout the session, the four-time world champion repeatedly voiced concerns over team radio regarding rear-end instability and a lack of confidence in the car. The issues nearly prevented him from advancing beyond SQ2 before he eventually secured a place in the final shootout and qualified seventh.

According to Verstappen, the problem was not simply a lack of outright pace but rather the unpredictable behaviour of the RB22 across the circuit's uneven surface. Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is well known for its heavy braking zones, aggressive kerb usage and numerous bumps, all of which can expose weaknesses in ride quality and vehicle balance.

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Speaking in comments reported by RacingNews365, Verstappen explained that the issue made it extremely difficult to apply power consistently and prevented him from extracting maximum performance from the car.

"I'm not surprised, just my feeling in the car was not very good."

"I was struggling a lot with just the ride of the car, so all over the bumps, I couldn't put my foot down."

"Actually, my feet were even flying off the pedals, just made it very difficult to be consistent and that's something that we need to investigate."

The comments provide a clearer picture of the challenge facing Red Bull. Formula 1 drivers rely on extremely precise pedal inputs for braking and throttle application. When excessive bouncing or instability disrupts foot positioning, consistency in power delivery and corner execution can be significantly compromised.

Red Bull's task is further complicated by parc ferme regulations, which restrict setup changes after Sprint Qualifying. As a result, Verstappen is expected to contest the Sprint race with a largely unchanged configuration, potentially leaving him exposed to the same issues that limited his performance on Friday.

Despite the setback, Verstappen remains hopeful that Red Bull can identify the root cause of the problem before Grand Prix qualifying. The team's investigation is likely to focus on suspension behaviour, ride height settings, floor performance and aerodynamic responses over Montreal's challenging surface.

"It was not great."

"We were stuck with that for the sprint but [there are] some other things to understand, and hopefully that will then be a bit better for quali."

Verstappen's concerns come at a crucial point in the championship battle. With George Russell and Kimi Antonelli delivering a dominant Sprint Qualifying performance for Mercedes, while McLaren also demonstrated strong pace through Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, Red Bull faces increasing pressure to resolve its technical issues. If the RB22's balance concerns remain unresolved, the team's prospects of fighting for victory in Montreal could become significantly more difficult as the Canadian Grand Prix weekend progresses.