Chinese Grand Prix: Max Verstappen claims every lap in Red Bull is ‘like survival’ after qualifying eighthMark Thompson / Getty ImagesNate SaundersMar 14, 2026, 07:00 AM ETClose
SHANGHAI, China — Max Verstappen stated every lap is survival mode with his Red Bull at the moment as he cannot control the car, a situation that is “just really not how it should be.”
Verstappen qualified a distant eighth for Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix, almost a full second off Kimi Antonelli’s pole time.
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The four-time world champion will line up ahead of teammate Isack Hadjar in what has been a brutally tough start to the week for Red Bull.
Neither of them scored a point in Saturday morning’s sprint race either.
“Every lap is like survival,” a downbeat Verstappen stated on Saturday after qualifying. Asked what he can do in the grand prix, he replied: “Where I’m at? It’s not going to be a fun race.”
On Friday after sprint qualifying, Verstappen had stated his car was “undriveable” and that he had “never had anything this bad” to drive.
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Verstappen reflects on ‘disaster’ first day of Chinese Grand Prix
Max Verstappen and Lando Norris speak after qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race.
Speaking 24 hours later, he explained the disconnect he feels with his car.
On whether it was down to the engine, the car, or a bit of both, he replied: “A little bit, of course, from the engine side, but that’s not probably the biggest side. I mean, we lose so much from the car at the moment around here.
“Plus, I cannot push at all, because the car doesn’t let me. So that’s why I don’t really feel in control of the car. I mean, it’s just really not how it should be.”
Verstappen has been the most outspoken critic of F1’s new cars, which feature a controversial 50-50 split between combustion and electrical power.
“From lap one of this new regulation, I’ve not enjoyed this car, that’s for sure,” he reiterated in his post-qualifying session in response to a question about whether this is the worst he’s ever felt about his car.
Red Bull Racing’s Dutch driver Max Verstappen crashes during the qualifying session of the Formula One Australian Grand Prix at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne on March 7, 2026. Paul Crock / AFP via Getty ImagesVerstappen stated his lack of comfort with the car means he has no idea how much performance there is to unlock with the car.”I cannot push. I am not enjoying it at all,” the four-time champion told Sky Sports F1. “It’s just very inconsistent. I cannot build a reference through qualifying. So whatever lap I do, I’m like, ‘all right, well, that’s it.'”Can I go four tenths faster? Maybe. Can I go four tenths slower? Yeah, there’s a big chance as well because it’s just all over the place. So yeah, it’s just incredibly difficult.”Verstappen does not see any light at the end of the tunnel for this weekend.The Dutchman had a slow getaway off the line in Saturday’s sprint, which left him battling back from the rear end of the field.”They stated they would fix it, so I hope that that will be fixed for tomorrow,” he stated. “Helps a bit to stay in position, instead of starting the race from P20. Realistically, that’s anyway where we are fighting, P7, P8.I hope that in other tracks we can be a little bit closer, but we would still always be P4 team at the moment, if we don’t change anything on the car.”
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