Max Verstappen Admits to “Constant Fight” With Red Bull Car After First Practice Defeat to Lando Norris
Max Verstappen has opened up about the persistent challenges he is facing with his Red Bull machine after ending both Friday practice sessions behind championship rival Lando Norris at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. With the world title set to be decided on Sunday, the pressure on Verstappen and Red Bull has intensified—and the Dutchman has revealed that the struggle inside the RB21 is becoming a defining feature of his weekend.
The opening day at the Yas Marina Circuit did not unfold the way Verstappen or Red Bull had hoped. In both FP1 and FP2, Verstappen finished second to Norris, who looked calm, confident, and increasingly in control of the title narrative. As things stand, Verstappen must win the race and hope that Norris finishes fourth or lower in order to claim the championship. But based on Friday’s performances, the reigning champion knows he may not currently have the car underneath him to make that scenario possible.
Throughout the practice sessions, Verstappen voiced concerns over the balance of the RB21. While he acknowledged that the car was performing within what he called a “decent window,” he repeatedly complained about predictable but ongoing handling issues—problems that have made extracting maximum pace more difficult than usual. According to Verstappen, this is not a new phenomenon; instead, it is part of a “constant fight” he has faced throughout the season as the Red Bull package proves increasingly temperamental on certain circuits.
Speaking after FP2, Verstappen offered a mixed assessment of his day. On one hand, he said he was “fairly happy” with some aspects of the car’s behavior, but on the other, he made it clear that the team is still far from where they need to be if they want to beat McLaren in qualifying and the race.
“It was pretty okay, I was fairly happy with the car,” Verstappen explained. “But we still need to be a little bit faster. At the moment, we are just not quick enough. Overall, we’re operating in a decent window around here, but the gap to McLaren is still significant. We need to close that.”
Verstappen emphasized that both single-lap pace and long-run performance require improvements. McLaren’s speed in qualifying simulations was worrying enough, but what caught the attention of many analysts was Norris’ consistency in race-trim. If that form translates into Sunday, Verstappen could be facing a major uphill battle.
He added that Red Bull will work deep into the night searching for solutions, saying: “We’ll just try to put the best car forward tomorrow. Let’s see how much we can find overnight.”
When pressed specifically about the balance issues he raised throughout the day, Verstappen offered a surprisingly candid response. He revealed that the discomfort he faces in the cockpit has become a recurring feature rather than an isolated incident. “It is a constant fight,” he admitted. “And nothing new.”
These words paint a picture of a driver who, despite being one of the most naturally gifted and mentally strong competitors on the grid, is fighting both his rivals and his machinery. Red Bull’s dominance in the early years of the current era seems increasingly distant, and Verstappen now finds himself needing near-perfection from a car that is not always willing to give it.
The situation is further complicated by the stakes of the championship. Norris, who enters the weekend as the title favorite, delivered a highly polished Friday performance, looking comfortable in both practice sessions. His McLaren displayed sharp cornering ability, stable balance, and strong traction—traits that have become hallmarks of the team’s evolution throughout the 2025 campaign. McLaren has steadily eaten into Red Bull’s advantage, and this weekend may represent their peak.
For Red Bull, however, the task is clear: they must unlock more speed before qualifying, or risk handing the momentum—and the world championship—to Norris. Verstappen has made miraculous recoveries before, but overcoming both a fast McLaren and an unsettled RB21 might be one of his toughest challenges yet.
As the sun sets over Abu Dhabi and the teams dive into data, one thing is certain: Verstappen’s title hopes depend not only on his driving skill but also on Red Bull’s ability to transform a car he describes as a “constant fight” into a race-winning machine within just a few hours. With the championship on the line, the battle is as much technical as it is psychological, and Verstappen knows every detail matters.
