Red Bull Confirm Key Change to Verstappen’s Car as Dutchman Battles Handling Issues in Qatar
Red Bull Racing have officially confirmed a significant technical decision regarding Max Verstappen’s RB21 during the Qatar Grand Prix weekend—one that sheds light on why the reigning world champion has appeared uncomfortable behind the wheel since arriving at the Lusail International Circuit.
Throughout the event, Verstappen has openly struggled with the behaviour of his car. From practice sessions to the sprint race and into qualifying, he has repeatedly voiced concerns about persistent understeer, an unpredictable front end, and excessive bouncing that compromises the car’s stability, especially over high-speed sections. These issues have prevented him from extracting the maximum potential that fans and analysts have come to expect from him and the usually dominant Red Bull machinery.
On Saturday, the team revealed the underlying reason behind his dissatisfaction: Verstappen is using an earlier-version floor that was first introduced at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, rather than the newer, more updated variant that Red Bull brought to Mexico a few weeks earlier. This decision is not due to lack of availability or a strategic downgrade but rather a deliberate choice based on the driver’s personal preference after evaluating the newer upgrade.
Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko explained the situation, confirming that Verstappen made the call to revert to the earlier floor specification after experiencing difficulties with the latest design. According to Marko, the new floor worked very well for Yuki Tsunoda—who is also running Red Bull-supplied components through the closely linked RB team—but Verstappen felt the updated version did not suit his driving style.
Marko noted that although the floor plays a major role in modern ground-effect aerodynamics, it was not the sole cause of the handling issues Verstappen has been facing. “The bouncing wasn’t just because of the floor; there were several other factors contributing to it,” Marko told Sky Germany. He elaborated that the team’s findings suggest a combination of setup inconsistencies, the circuit’s aggressive kerbs, and the RB21’s sensitivity to aero balance changes all contributed to the problem.
Interestingly, Tsunoda adapted quickly to the upgraded floor and reportedly “got along with it very well,” indicating that the update itself was functional, but its characteristics may not have aligned with Verstappen’s preference for a more pointed front end and stable under-braking behaviour. “Max didn’t like it as much,” Marko added. “So that was an individual decision.”
Despite the issues, Verstappen displayed resilience throughout the Qatar weekend. In the sprint qualifying session, he could only manage sixth on the grid, yet he fought back during the sprint race to secure a solid fourth-place finish. His race pace showed some improvement, though the car still looked less planted compared to rival teams—particularly McLaren, who have been consistently strong across the weekend.
The situation improved slightly during the main qualifying session for Sunday’s grand prix, where Verstappen managed to put the RB21 on the second row of the grid, securing third place behind the McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, who locked out the front row in commanding fashion. Verstappen’s effort keeps him in the hunt as he prepares for a crucial race in his bid to maintain hope in the championship battle heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
While Qatar has not been the smoothest weekend for the Dutch driver, the team remain confident that the older-spec floor will allow Verstappen to feel more comfortable and extract better performance on race day. Red Bull will continue analysing the data to determine whether the bouncing and balance issues are purely setup-related or if deeper mechanical tweaks are required.
With McLaren enjoying a strong surge in form and Verstappen searching for confidence in his RB21, the Qatar Grand Prix promises to be a pivotal contest—not just for the race victory, but for the momentum heading into the last round of the season. Verstappen will have to fight his way past two incredibly quick McLarens if he hopes to keep his championship dream alive.
