Could a busted engine have cost Verstappen a front‑row start? He admits he couldn’t match Russell’s pole, yet a front‑row spot seemed logical given the gap behind.
Red Bull’s power unit hiccup left Verstappen half a second slower than teammate Isack Hadjar, then a yellow flag from Lando Norris and battery woes compounded the issue.
He now lines up eighth, though pole‑sitter Russell still views the Dutch driver as the biggest threat to his win.
When Russell’s words reached Verstappen in the Baku paddock, a grin broke across his face: “That’s good, if he thinks that way!”
“Seriously, they’re blisteringly quick. They might be a touch too strong for us, but I’ll give everything for a podium spot.”
In my view, this weekend was Red Bull’s clearest shot at a 2026 Grand Prix win, despite Mercedes’ pace on the city circuit.
“Mercedes will get an upgrade in Malaysia, so Baku was our chance. We’ve certainly messed up that chance,” Verstappen told Dutch media.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
He added, “Mercedes will likely improve further. They’re already faster, making it tougher. I never quit, I try each weekend, but we must stay realistic.”
With Red Bull’s final major upgrade in place and Mercedes waiting for Malaysia, a standout Baku result felt within reach.
Yet avoiding issues each race is part of the job, so after exiting the car Verstappen admitted Red Bull doesn’t deserve such setbacks.
“I felt strong in the car all weekend. Maybe not as quick as Mercedes, but that’s been the case all season. It’s frustrating not to show it.”
He put things in perspective: a win in 2026 would end his first winless year since 2015, and Baku was that chance, but setbacks sting less when he’s out of the title fight.
“I was extremely frustrated in the car. I could stay that way, but there’s nothing I can change.”
“The weekend was going great, then an engine problem hit. That sucks. If you want to fight at the front, those issues can’t happen, yet they do, summarising our season.”
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
He noted he’s endured many setbacks this year, joking he’ll need a Buddhist retreat in Tibet over the winter to calm down.
He sees his lingering frustration as proof his passion for F1 remains alive.
“I’m genuinely frustrated, which shows I still care. I could shrug off a non‑title year, but I always push for the maximum, and missing that is infuriating.”
If he lands on the podium Saturday, the feeling will be that even more was possible, a frustrating thought.
“It depends on race flow and our pace. Imagine we’re fastest yet finish second or third… that would be frustrating.”
The good news: the Baku upgrade package delivered what Verstappen hoped for.
“It was a decent step, but next year we need a bigger leap across car, power unit, everything.” When told Red Bull can’t tweak the power unit without an ADUO token, he replied, “True, but we can still fine‑tune.”
Photos from F1 Azerbaijan GP – Saturday
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– The Team