Max Verstappen secured a third-place finish at the Italian Grand Prix, but expressed significant dissatisfaction with his Red Bull car’s performance. Despite starting from fifth on the grid, Verstappen described the experience as frustrating, stating that other drivers were passing him ‘as if I were a turtle’.
The Dutchman’s podium appearance came in a race dominated by Mercedes, with Kimi Antonelli taking a historic victory from 19th on the grid, ahead of teammate George Russell.
Verstappen highlighted persistent issues with the RB22 chassis, specifically a ‘broken’ rear axle that has plagued the team for months. He noted that the car was ‘not compliant anymore’ over bumps and kerbs, severely impacting its stability and lap time.
This recurring problem, which Verstappen claims he has been dealing with ‘for years now’, manifested again between final practice and qualifying. He stated that the car ‘immediately picked up a problem’ at the start of qualifying.
The four-time world champion had qualified fifth, almost three tenths behind pole-sitter Pierre Gasly. Verstappen’s frustration was evident when he told Dutch media that the RB22 felt like it was ‘made out of paper’.
He explained that the car was ‘jumping around a lot more than it should do’, particularly in low-speed sections. This lack of ‘ride control’ prevented consistent performance and cost valuable lap time, estimated at ‘at least two tenths’.
During the race, Verstappen found himself unable to defend against the pace of the Mercedes cars due to a weaker electrical component in his power unit. He was forced to take considerable risks due to a lack of top speed.
The Italian Grand Prix itself was marked by a significant incident involving Charles Leclerc, who crashed heavily at the Parabolica, leading to a red flag. Lewis Hamilton finished sixth for Ferrari.
Kimi Antonelli’s victory was a remarkable comeback, as he used an alternative strategy and fresher tyres after a Virtual Safety Car period to overtake Russell in the closing laps. This extended Antonelli’s championship lead to 66 points over Russell.
Verstappen’s team had made improvements to the car from Friday to Saturday, but the underlying issues persisted. He had expressed concern before the race about whether the team would be permitted to fix the problem.
The Red Bull driver’s comments underscore the ongoing technical challenges faced by the team, despite securing a podium finish at Monza. The focus now shifts to addressing these fundamental car characteristics.
