Verstappen and Tsunoda Grapple with Grip Issues, Hampering Red Bull’s Performance

Following a challenging weekend, Max Verstappen of Red Bull expressed his hope for a dry race at the Hungarian Grand Prix, according to reports on Sunday. The Red Bull team encountered difficulties in Hungary, positioning Verstappen to commence the race from eighth on the grid.

Yuki Tsunoda, having experienced his fourth Q1 elimination in the past eight races, trailed his teammate by a mere 0.163 seconds during the initial qualifying segment. Both Verstappen and Tsunoda contended with significant grip problems, which impacted their overall performance.

Verstappen addressed the grip issues in media briefings, stating that optimal performance is unattainable without adequate grip.

He elaborated, “It hasn’t been running effectively all weekend, so in that aspect, the feeling remains consistent. At times, the balance seems reasonable, without excessive understeer or oversteer. However, the fundamental issue is a lack of grip, impeding cornering aggression and throttle application.”

Verstappen also voiced concerns regarding the RB21, drawing parallels to the Italian Grand Prix qualification, where he secured seventh place the previous season.

“In my view, it was reminiscent of Monza, which was notably poor,” Verstappen remarked. “I harbor limited confidence in substantial improvements during the race. The absence of grip leads to sliding, exacerbating tire degradation, which is far from ideal.”

In the meantime, Verstappen remains optimistic for a dry race following the team’s struggles throughout the weekend.

“I didn’t anticipate this weekend being our strongest, but the challenges have been excessive. Given the current car behavior, I sincerely hope for dry conditions.”