The Chinese GP Sprint qualifying proved challenging for Max Verstappen, who revealed the main problems affecting Red Bull at the start of the 2026 season. Both Red Bull drivers, Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar, faced a tough session, with Verstappen only managing eighth and Hadjar set to start from tenth on the grid. It was a weekend that started uphill for the Milton Keynes team.
After the session, Max Verstappen explained what went wrong during the Sprint qualifying, highlighting key areas that require improvement for Red Bull to close the gap to Mercedes.
Plenty of work ahead at Red Bull
George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, just like in Australia, set the pace and secured the top two positions, followed by another Mercedes-powered car, Lando Norris’ McLaren. Out of the top seven grid spots, five cars were powered by Mercedes engines. Verstappen found himself behind Pierre Gasly’s Alpine, with whom he even had a minor on-track altercation. Gasly is expected to be summoned by the stewards for a possible impeding incident against the Dutch driver.
Speaking to the official F1 television channel, Max Verstappen clarified the main issues Red Bull still needs to address to reduce the gap to Mercedes: “The whole day was a disaster for pace. We had no grip, and that’s the biggest problem. We had no grip, no balance, and we lost a huge amount of time in the corners, which honestly triggers a lot of other small problems.”
Verstappen also identified what he considered the “biggest problem” during the Sprint qualifying session: “But the biggest problem for us is that the car in the corners is completely off. I don’t know what we can do at the moment, we’ll see.”
The struggles in Shanghai emphasize that Red Bull’s 2026 challenge isn’t just about the power deficit of their new engine project, but a fundamental handling mismatch with the RB22 chassis on this specific layout. While the Mercedes-powered teams are utilizing their superior energy deployment to mask aerodynamic drag, Red Bull appears to be fighting a car that cannot maintain its platform through Shanghai’s long, demanding radii. If Max Verstappen’s assessment that the car is “out of phase” holds true, the team faces a frantic night of data analysis to prevent the Sprint Race from becoming a simple exercise in sliding down the order. For a team used to setting the technical benchmark, being outpaced by both Alpine and the Mercedes customer teams is a stark reminder of the work required to reclaim their spot at the top of the podium.
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