Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft has expressed bewilderment regarding Red Bull’s approach during the recent Azerbaijan Grand Prix, suggesting the team appeared to accept their position. This sentiment follows a race where Max Verstappen secured second place despite a challenging weekend for the Milton Keynes outfit.
Verstappen’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix began with significant frustration during qualifying. The four-time world champion was relegated to eighth on the grid after experiencing engine power issues and a battery that failed to charge fully in Q3. He openly criticised the performance as ‘not good enough’.
Despite the grid penalty, Verstappen delivered a strong recovery drive in Baku. He navigated the field to finish just 0.196 seconds behind Mercedes’ George Russell, who claimed his third Grand Prix victory of the current season. Verstappen was later named ‘Driver of the Day’ for his efforts.
A key point of contention arose during the race concerning team orders. Verstappen and teammate Isack Hadjar were running in close proximity, with Hadjar reportedly having a tyre advantage. Red Bull opted against instructing a position swap.
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies defended this strategic decision. He stated that the team evaluated all scenarios and chose to maintain the car positions, believing it offered the best chance to challenge Oscar Piastri and Russell. Mekies acknowledged Verstappen was struggling on the medium compound tyres at that stage.
Verstappen himself conceded after the race that even with a better starting position, overcoming Russell would have been difficult. He noted that Red Bull was ‘a bit short in terms of deployment’ compared to Mercedes, which held a three-tenths per lap advantage in battery usage.
Croft’s observations extend beyond the Baku event, reflecting a broader concern with Red Bull’s 2026 season. Earlier in the year, following the Hungarian Grand Prix, Croft speculated that Verstappen might be ‘trying to engineer a way out of Red Bull’ due to his vocal criticism of the RB22’s performance.
The RB22 has been described as operating within a narrow window, proving difficult to master, a characteristic that has led to Verstappen’s complaints about car issues and qualifying incidents. In February, Croft had already positioned Red Bull as the fourth-best team, behind Mercedes, McLaren, and Ferrari, suggesting they would require ‘two Maxes’ to contend for championships.
Further compounding the situation, Croft has highlighted a significant staff exodus from Red Bull. Key figures such as Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley, and Gianpiero Lambiase have departed or announced future moves, leading Croft to question the team’s loyalty and future prospects.
Croft also previously warned in April that Verstappen might consider leaving Formula 1 entirely due to his dissatisfaction with the 2026 regulations, which he reportedly described as ‘Formula E on steroids’. Verstappen has consistently voiced concerns that the new rules detract from the pure racing spirit.
Red Bull’s performance earlier in the season saw them positioned as a ‘midfield team’ in the constructors’ championship. The team now looks ahead to the upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix, scheduled for October 4, 2026.
