Red Bull Forced to Apologise to Verstappen After Brazilian GP Drama
Red Bull’s well-known team radio partnership between Max Verstappen and his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase returned with unexpected emotion in São Paulo — complete with apologies, regret, and Verstappen’s trademark calmness. After enduring one of their toughest weekends of the 2025 Formula One season, the team found themselves reflecting on mistakes that arguably cost Verstappen a potential victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Following an exhausting race that saw Verstappen charge from the pit lane to a hard-fought third-place finish, Lambiase, often known for his dry humour and blunt exchanges with the Dutchman, felt compelled to issue a heartfelt apology. The British-Italian engineer, who has guided Verstappen through multiple championship-winning campaigns, admitted over the radio that Red Bull’s poor decisions earlier in the weekend had let their star driver down.
“I can only apologise for yesterday, mate,” Lambiase said over the team radio after the chequered flag. “This was a race you could have won. Sorry.” His tone carried a rare mix of sincerity and frustration — a far cry from the usual terse exchanges fans have come to enjoy.
The apology referred to Red Bull’s disastrous qualifying session on Saturday, one that left Verstappen languishing in 16th position. The team’s setup experiment, intended to improve tyre life and straight-line speed, completely backfired. The car became unstable, and Verstappen’s performance was severely hampered. The debacle brought back memories of their infamous 2022 Monaco mishap, and inside the Red Bull garage, tension ran high.
For Verstappen, who is used to dominating qualifying sessions, the result was a bitter pill to swallow. The four-time world champion, usually a master at wringing every ounce of performance from his car, suddenly found himself out of rhythm. Analysts within the team later admitted that their setup direction was “completely wrong” and that Verstappen’s feedback had been ignored during key moments of the session.
Yet, in the face of the chaos, Verstappen displayed the poise of a seasoned champion. Over the radio, he dismissed Lambiase’s apology with a calm, measured response that showed both maturity and perspective.
“No, you don’t have to,” Verstappen replied. “This was a really good race for us. We’re at least trying, you know. Thanks a lot for today, that went really well.”
Those few words spoke volumes about Verstappen’s mindset. Instead of dwelling on Red Bull’s misjudgment, he chose to focus on what they salvaged — a recovery drive that reminded fans and rivals alike of his relentless determination.
Starting from the pit lane due to overnight setup changes, Verstappen’s comeback was nothing short of spectacular. He sliced through the field with clinical overtakes, demonstrating the control and aggression that have become his trademarks. Each move seemed calculated — never desperate — as he made up position after position with surgical precision. Even the FIA stewards, often quick to hand out penalties, found little to scrutinize in his driving.
By the end of the 71-lap race, Verstappen had muscled his way to a third-place finish, transforming what could have been a disastrous weekend into a powerful display of resilience. His podium celebration carried a quiet defiance — proof that even when Red Bull falters, Verstappen’s sheer talent can still deliver results.
Nevertheless, in the unforgiving arithmetic of Formula 1, the cost of Saturday’s errors was clear. Over the course of the sprint weekend, Verstappen lost a total of thirteen points that could have significantly tightened his championship battle. While Oscar Piastri’s ten-second time penalty allowed him to recover a few, the real winner of the weekend was Lando Norris.
Norris, who dominated both the sprint and the main race in São Paulo, extended his lead at the top of the championship standings. He now sits at 390 points, with Piastri trailing at 366, while Verstappen’s total of 341 leaves him on the back foot heading into the next round.
For Red Bull, the weekend served as a sobering reminder that even the smallest strategic errors can unravel a race. For Lambiase, his apology symbolized accountability — a rare admission in the high-pressure world of Formula 1. And for Verstappen, it was yet another moment that showcased his maturity and leadership within the team.
Despite the setback, the Dutch driver remains unfazed. His ability to turn adversity into opportunity continues to define his legacy. As the championship battle intensifies, Verstappen’s calm response and Lambiase’s apology may well mark a turning point — not just for Red Bull’s season, but for their pursuit of yet another world title.
