Max Verstappen has revealed his frustration after a disappointing qualifying session at the Baku City Circuit. The Red Bull driver suffered an engine problem that cost him significant time and left him unable to challenge for the front rows.
Verstappen had shown promise in final practice, setting the fastest time and feeling positive about the upgrades. He hoped to pull off a surprise in Baku, but an internal combustion engine (ICE) issue threw a spanner in the works.
“Throughout qualifying, already from Q1, I had a problem with the engine, which meant I was losing at least half a second compared to my team-mate. And it only got worse. In Q2 and Q3 it was a complete disaster, so I think we clearly have a problem with the engine,” Verstappen told Dutch media in the Baku paddock.
When asked by Motorsport.com, Verstappen clarified that the problem was initially not about deployment but rather the ICE. “No, not on the electrical side. In Q1, we immediately saw a problem. Of course, at that point you still think, ‘What could it be? Is the engine too cold or actually too hot?’ All of that is possible, because it is all very sensitive nowadays. But later it became clear that we really did have a problem with the ICE. It only got worse and in Q3 that engine was no longer working properly at all.”
That problem with the combustion engine subsequently caused numerous other issues. Verstappen’s top speed decreased, and on his second lap in Q3, his battery wasn’t charging either. “That causes a lot of misfires and a lot of other problems, and it confuses the system completely,” he added.
Onboard footage showed Verstappen’s head suddenly jolting forward between Turns 15 and 16, a section normally taken flat out. “Yeah, because my battery switched off there,” he explained. “Because you’re so slow on the straights, you obviously use more battery coming out of the corners to try to compensate for that. As a result, you go into super clipping in some places, and that clip is quite aggressive. The whole system was just confused.”
Besides the engine problems themselves, this also disrupted the run plan. Verstappen had to abort his second flying lap and could not show his true potential. He also confirmed that he will not receive a grid penalty in the event of an engine change, meaning he could still start the race with a new engine without additional penalties.
With a performance far below expectations, Verstappen and the Red Bull team must work hard to fix the issue before the race. This poor qualifying result is a major blow for a team already struggling with car development. Now, their focus is on recovering in the race and maximizing points.
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