The Formula One season is down to its final five rounds as the front runners gear up for the ultimate stretch. The top contenders for the Constructors Cup– Red Bull and McLaren, will lock horns at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez track. Since the Miami GP, Mclaren has maintained an edge over the Milton Keynes-based outfit. However, in the Austin GP, the Milton Keynes-based outfit retaliates, finishing ahead of the Papaya squad duo.
The defending champions were optimistic about turning things around in the final five races. Sadly, the start of their Mexican GP looks gloomy. During the first two FP sessions, Verstappen spent more time in the pits than on the track. The reigning world champion ran into a couple of technical issues, forcing him to retire early.
Frustration Multiplies For Verstappen As Red Bull Suffers Persistent Engine Snags Ahead Of Mexican GP
The Formula One convoy is back in Mexico as the fight for the world titles intensifies. Amid all the fierce battles, Verstappen is fighting with his own car. The Dutchman suffered engine snags during the first and second FP sessions. However, this isn’t the first time the Honda-powered PUs have malfunctioned. In fact, the RBR triple champion has already suffered a penalty for exceeding the limit of PU components.
The 26-year-old racer was hopeful of capitalizing on the Austin upgrade as he was trying to figure out the RB20’s control and balance. During FP1, Verstappen encountered some floor issues and an engine problem. Thus, he was called back to the pits but finally finished fourth in the session. After the session, Christian Horner confirmed the issue was resolved and that Verstappen would participate in the FP2 session.
Surprisingly, that was not the case as the engine woes resurfaced on the fourth lap of the FP2 session. On the team radio, Verstappen complained of hearing some “weird noises” coming from the engine box. Subsequently, he was called back to the pits, and his Friday outing was cut short. The engine issue has been a persistent ache for the World Champion, yet they’re clueless about it. Moreover, the team has not clarified the exact cause of the problem, with the FP3 session still ahead.
“Pretty much a useless day,” Verstappen Reflects On A Rocky Start To The Mexican GP
After the disappointment of the FP sessions, Max Verstappen called it “ a useless day” despite a fourth-place finish in the first session. Moreover, the Dutchman was clueless about the engine issue and looked visibly disheartened. Max Verstappen wanted a longer stretch on the track to better understand the car configuration. It will be intriguing to see whether the defending champion will bounce back strongly after a terrible start to the weekend.
