Max Verstappen Says Red Bull Too Slow in Sprint

Max Verstappen conceded that Red Bull was too slow in the Silverstone Sprint after the Dutch driver dropped from third on the grid to finish sixth.

Verstappen started from the second row after a more promising Sprint Qualifying result on Friday. However, the RB22 did not have enough race pace to hold position once Silverstone's high-speed corner profile began exposing the car's weaknesses.

The Red Bull driver was then drawn into a fight with both McLaren cars, George Russell and Charles Leclerc. In that battle, Verstappen could not match the pace of the cars around him as tyre degradation increasingly limited his performance.

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"Just too slow," Verstappen said.

Verstappen identified tyre degradation and high-speed performance as the main limitations. That combination forced him to slide more while trying to stay in the fight, which then made the tyre situation worse.

"We were degging more than the cars around me and especially getting destroyed in the high-speed. Just couldn't keep with them," Verstappen said.

"Then sliding more to try and keep up with them and then you deg your tyres more," he added.

Sixth place was a frustrating outcome for Verstappen after starting third in the British Grand Prix Sprint. Attention now turns to Grand Prix qualifying, where Red Bull has a chance to make set-up changes and put the car in a more competitive position for the main Formula 1 race at Silverstone.