Max Verstappen has urged Red Bull to investigate the handling issues that left him struggling throughout sprint qualifying at the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix, revealing that the problems were so severe his “feet were flying off the pedals” over the bumps in Montreal.
The reigning four-time world champion endured a frustrating session during Friday’s sprint qualifying at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, where he battled an unstable rear end on his RB22. Verstappen’s frustrations were clear over team radio as he repeatedly complained about the balance of the car and the difficulty of controlling it through the circuit’s bumpy sections.
Although the Dutch driver eventually managed to scrape through SQ2 and secure a fifth-place starting position for Saturday’s sprint race, he admitted afterward that the result did little to hide the serious issues Red Bull are currently facing with the car setup.
Speaking after the session, Verstappen explained that the biggest problem was the ride quality of the RB22, which prevented him from driving consistently and confidently around the track.
“I’m not surprised because the feeling in the car just wasn’t very good,” Verstappen said after qualifying.
The 28-year-old revealed that the car was reacting badly over the bumps, making it difficult for him to apply the throttle properly during crucial moments of the lap.
“I was struggling a lot with the ride of the car. Every time I went over the bumps, I couldn’t really put my foot down properly,” he explained.
In one of the most striking comments of the evening, Verstappen even claimed the movement inside the cockpit became so violent that his feet were briefly losing contact with the pedals.
“My feet were even flying off the pedals at some points. That made it very difficult to stay consistent, and it’s definitely something we need to investigate,” he added.
The issue leaves Red Bull in a difficult position heading into Saturday because parc fermé regulations prevent teams from making major setup changes before the sprint race. That means Verstappen is likely to remain stuck with the same uncomfortable handling characteristics until after the sprint event is completed.
Despite the difficulties, Verstappen still managed to qualify inside the top five, underlining both his skill and Red Bull’s raw pace. However, the Dutchman made it clear that improvements are urgently needed if he is to challenge the Mercedes pair of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli at the front.
Verstappen also expressed hope that the team can better understand the root cause of the balance problems before main qualifying later in the weekend.
“It was not great,” he admitted.
“We are basically stuck with this for the sprint, but there are still some things we need to understand. Hopefully we can improve it a bit before qualifying.”
The Canadian Grand Prix weekend has already proven challenging for several teams due to the circuit’s aggressive kerbs and uneven surface, but Verstappen’s comments suggest Red Bull may have deeper concerns about the overall setup and stability of the RB22.
