Max Verstappen has admitted he is not feeling fully fit during the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix weekend, struggling with a flu-like illness and low energy, while Red Bull's RB22 continues to show its fundamental weaknesses at Zandvoort.
“I've felt better before, yes. I feel a bit flu-like and I’m just not feeling as much energy as normal,” said Max Verstappen during the Dutch media session in the paddock after qualifying. Despite that, Verstappen insisted it doesn't affect his performance behind the wheel. “No, I don’t think so. I think once you’re in the car, it’s actually fine.”
Verstappen, who has won three Dutch GP editions since its return in 2021, will start Sunday's race from seventh place, his final home race before Zandvoort leaves the calendar. He was more than four tenths behind polesitter Lando Norris in qualifying.
“We changed quite a lot on the car after the sprint, but none of it made any difference,” Verstappen told Autosport. He highlighted the car's balance as the main issue, saying it's inconsistent through corners. “The balance of the car is the biggest problem. It’s just not consistent throughout the entire corner, but it has been like that all season. It’s just a little worse at some circuits than at others.”
Zandvoort, with its fast corners and banked turns, is a track that exposes the RB22's weaknesses more than most. Verstappen explained that the issue is not just setup but fundamental problems with the car. “I think we’re now simply more limited by some fundamental problems with the car that we need to solve,” he said. “At this circuit you also have some fast corners and we’re lacking there as well. In general, if you don’t have a good balance, you can’t really attack the corners. And if you don’t have traction either, you can’t get out of the corners properly, so all of that costs time.”
Given the situation, Verstappen believes P7 is the maximum achievable result on Sunday under normal circumstances, especially without rain-induced chaos. Still, he enjoys the fans' support, though he's looking forward to rest. “Of course I still enjoy all the fans in the grandstands, but apart from that, I’m mostly looking forward to getting some sleep,” he said.
This result adds to Red Bull's recent struggles, as they continue to lose ground to rivals. Verstappen hopes to recover quickly and fight in the race, but his chances of a podium finish seem slim given the RB22's current performance.
Baca Juga
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