Verstappen Confused by Austrian Qualifying Crash

Max Verstappen admitted he was left confused after crashing in the closing moments of qualifying for the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring while challenging for a stronger grid position.

The Red Bull Racing driver was third after his opening run and was finding further time on his final attempt before the RB22 suddenly snapped away at Turn 9, sending him through the gravel and into the barriers.

The accident dropped Verstappen to fifth on the grid after both Ferrari drivers improved their lap times in the final moments of qualifying, denying him the opportunity to start further up the order.

Read AlsoRed Bull Apologises After Verstappen Austria Crash

"Not in that corner at all. I mean, on that lap already, at Turn 6 on entry, I had a big moment. So that was a bit weird because, the whole weekend, I've never had something like that."

"And then I arrived at Turn 9, I turned in and it was immediately gone. Not even a small correction, it was just me, full lock off. So that's a bit odd, but we'll have a look."

Although disappointed to lose the chance of starting higher, Verstappen felt third place had been the realistic target. However, he also admitted Red Bull's current race starts remain a weakness that could still have cost him positions on the opening lap.

"It's a shame. Realistically, we could have been P3, so it's a little bit better than P5. But I can also tell you that, realistically, even if I had been P3, coming off the line is hard for us, so I probably would have dropped back to P5. But that's what it is at the moment."