It is proving to be a difficult period for Max Verstappen. The four-time Formula 1 world champion was fighting for an unexpected podium finish in the 2026 British Grand Prix when his race took a dramatic turn on lap 46. While negotiating Stowe Corner, his Red Bull RB22 suddenly became uncontrollable and ran off the circuit at high speed.
It was not a driver error but the result of a mechanical failure. Verstappen’s stunned reaction after climbing out of the car made it immediately clear that something on the car had gone badly wrong.
“It’s the same thing that happened during Q3 in qualifying in Austria. Once again we had a problem with the rear wing that didn’t close properly. In reality it was a different issue this time, but in the end it leads to exactly the same result. And, obviously, that should never happen.”
Recurring reliability concerns for Red Bull
The latest failure raises fresh questions about Red Bull’s reliability. For the second time in just a few races, Verstappen found himself involved in a high-speed incident caused by a technical problem. Fortunately, both Stowe at Silverstone and Turn 9 at Spielberg feature generous run-off areas, preventing what could have been a much more serious accident.
Even so, these repeated failures underline the technical difficulties Red Bull is currently facing as the team continues to struggle with reliability. Verstappen did not hide his frustration when asked what bothered him most about the current situation.
“The fact that we have so many problems and, obviously, that we’re too slow. I honestly don’t even know if we’ll get out of this situation anytime soon.”
A frustrating weekend from start to finish
Silverstone proved to be a bitter weekend for the Dutch driver. After qualifying only seventh on the grid—two places behind teammate Isack Hadjar—Verstappen reportedly asked the team to break parc fermé conditions to completely revise the car’s setup and even consider changing the power unit.
Red Bull, however, rejected the request and chose not to follow the recommendations of its lead driver.
Mercedes door appears closed
The British Grand Prix weekend also reinforced another reality for Verstappen. Despite speculation surrounding an exit clause in his Red Bull contract and months of transfer rumours, a move to Mercedes now appears off the table.
Mercedes is expected to continue with George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli for the 2027 season, with team principal Toto Wolff opting against making major changes. Although Verstappen was reportedly prepared to reduce his salary to around €50 million per year, he was seeking a three-year contract—an offer that never materialized during discussions.
For now, Verstappen appears set to remain with Red Bull. His focus will be on helping improve the RB22 and strengthening a technical department that has undergone significant personnel changes and has struggled to consistently solve the team’s ongoing problems.
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