Suzuka
The dominance of Max Verstappen at the Japanese Grand Prix has come to a grinding halt. The Red Bull star’s streak of four straight pole positions at the Suzuka Circuit ended in frustration as he failed to even reach the final qualifying shootout.
Starting from a lowly 11th on the grid, Verstappen described his car as “undriveable” following a series of technical struggles. Under Formula One’s sweeping new regulations for 2026, Red Bull has clearly fallen behind the pace. Mercedes currently looks like the team to beat, while Ferrari and McLaren have also surged ahead. The gap was made clear when Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad snatched the final top-ten spot, leaving the three-time champion on the sidelines.
Verstappen explained that a new aerodynamic package failed to deliver, causing the car to oversteer wildly on entry and refuse to turn mid-corner. The struggle is a stark contrast to his previous years of perfection in Japan. Currently sitting eighth in the championship with only eight points, Verstappen is a long way off leader George Russell, who holds 51 points for Mercedes.
After a difficult start to the season in Australia and a retirement in China, the pressure is mounting on Red Bull to find answers. For a driver with 71 career wins, starting outside the top ten feels like uncharted territory. As the lights go out tomorrow, Verstappen will need a masterclass in overtaking just to salvage a decent result on a track he once owned.
