Max Verstappen’s nightmare season continued as the four-time world champion qualified only 11th for the Japanese Grand Prix, calling his Red Bull “undriveable.”
The Dutchman, unbeaten at Suzuka since 2022, was dumped out in Q2 after battling severe balance issues. “The car never turns mid-corner… it’s really difficult, unpredictable,” he told Sky Sports F1.
Verstappen has struggled under new F1 rules mandating a 50-50 power split, crashing in Australia and retiring in China.
His frustrations boiled over again this weekend, adding to off-track tension after a press conference clash with a reporter.
Mercedes teenager Andrea Kimi Antonelli seized pole in a one-two finish for the Silver Arrows, leaving Verstappen with a mountain to climb on Sunday.
