Max Verstappen expressed frustration with Red Bull’s performance following Sunday’s 2026 F1 United States GP, identifying tyre strategy errors, inconsistent power unit behaviour and a slow pit stop among the factors that prevented him from challenging for victory. Despite starting second at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), the Dutchman finished third, 17.485 seconds behind race winner Kimi Antonelli.
Verstappen entered the weekend following consecutive victories in Malaysia and Singapore, raising expectations that Red Bull could challenge Mercedes in Austin. However, the team struggled to replicate its recent performance, with Verstappen acknowledging that its reliance on softer tyre compounds ultimately compromised its race strategy.
Although the four-time World Champion recovered from an eventful opening lap and later overtook Lando Norris for second, Charles Leclerc passed him in the closing stages. The result marked Verstappen’s tenth podium of the season but left him disappointed with Red Bull’s execution.
Verstappen frustrated by Red Bull’s performance despite 2026 f1 United States GP podium
Verstappen started Sunday’s race from second after narrowly missing out on pole position during Saturday’s Qualifying session. Although he had demonstrated competitive pace throughout the weekend, Red Bull struggled to maintain that performance over the race distance.
The Dutchman encountered several difficulties, including unexpectedly poor tyre performance, inconsistent power unit behaviour and a slow pit stop. Reflecting on the result, Verstappen acknowledged that Red Bull had failed to maximise its opportunities.
“Pretty frustrating, to be honest. Yeah, just not a really good race for us. In hindsight, of course, it’s very easy to say, but for whatever reason, the softer compounds today were not really working that well.”
“So, yeah, then also I think the way that we used our tyres in the order was wrong. Plus, I think at one point it was quite clear that the people on the harder compounds were finding a lot of grip, so I guess we also didn’t really react to that. Just probably sticking too much to our belief from the last two races, where the softer compounds were the fastest, and clearly here that didn’t work.”
“But, yeah, also besides that, too many issues with the power unit, where it was just very inconsistent behaviour around the corners, every lap, every corner, different behaviour. So, you can’t build up a rhythm, you can’t build any kind of consistency in the car. I had a slow pit stop, so, yeah, too many things today that just didn’t go well.”
Red Bull struggles to adapt to unexpected tyre performance
Tyre strategy emerged as one of Red Bull’s biggest challenges during the race. Verstappen started on the soft compound before making his first stop on Lap 14, when the team fitted another set of soft tyres.
The decision committed him to a two-stop strategy, which contrasted with Mercedes’ successful one-stop approach. Antonelli extended his opening stint on mediums before switching to the hard compound, while Ferrari also benefited from the harder tyres during the closing stages.
Verstappen acknowledged that Red Bull had based its strategy on recent races, where softer compounds had delivered stronger performance. However, the team struggled to adapt when the harder tyres proved more competitive in Austin.
“No, today we didn’t maximise much. The issues, of course, don’t help, but I think also the strategy that we did with the tyre choices that we made, yeah, they were just not good.”
“So that’s a few things to analyse: why these tyres didn’t work as we expected, or why the other tyres performed better than expected.”
Red Bull’s tyre choices ultimately limited Verstappen’s ability to challenge Antonelli, who maintained consistent pace throughout his final stint. Meanwhile, Leclerc capitalised on the hard compound’s performance to recover through the field and secure second.
Power unit inconsistencies prevent Verstappen from establishing rhythm in 2026 F1 United States GP
Beyond the tyre strategy, Verstappen also struggled with the behaviour of his RB22 throughout Sunday’s race. The Dutchman reported inconsistent power unit performance, which affected his ability to maintain a predictable balance through the corners.
Having demonstrated strong pace during the previous two Grands Prix, Verstappen acknowledged that Red Bull lacked a clear advantage in either high-speed or low-speed sections at COTA. He suggested that the circuit’s characteristics exposed weaknesses that had not affected the team as significantly during its recent victories.
“Because I think we are balanced as a car. We are not the fastest in high speed, we’re not the fastest in low speed, and I think maybe here you either need to be very fast in high speed or you need to be the quickest in low speed.”
“When you’re none of it, you’re just a little bit average, and I think we were just a little bit average in the race.”
Verstappen also highlighted the impact of the power unit’s inconsistent behaviour, explaining that the difficulties prevented him from extracting the car’s maximum performance.
“Of course, if we chose different tyres, probably we could have maybe been second, but that’s always easy to say afterwards. Plus, when you have too many issues with the consistency of your power unit, then that already costs you free lap time. So it’s normal that you can’t execute everything to the limit or at least be at your best. There are still a lot of things that we need to look at and do better.”
Verstappen reflects on opening-lap battles with Leclerc and Hamilton
Verstappen’s race began with an intense battle against the Ferrari drivers as he attempted to challenge Antonelli into Turn 1. Although the Red Bull driver maintained his position immediately after the start, Leclerc used an alternative line through the opening corners to move ahead.
The pair subsequently battled through the middle sector, with Verstappen eventually reclaiming second at Turn 15. Lewis Hamilton also joined the opening-lap exchanges, adding further pressure as the leading drivers fought for position.
Asked about his start, Verstappen rejected the suggestion that his initial launch had been particularly problematic.
“I didn’t lose a position, so it wasn’t that bad. It’s normal. My start was normal. Just consistently…”
The Dutchman subsequently reflected on his battle with Leclerc, acknowledging the Ferrari driver’s effective use of energy deployment through the opening corners.
“Yeah, I think Charles boosted from Turn 2 to Turn 3, so he got me around the outside, which was a good move. I was like, ‘All right, let’s just settle in. Still a long race ahead.'”
“But then we had a good battle from Turns 12 to 15, which was cool. It was good racing. I also had Lewis on my outside, I think, in the first lap in Turn 6, so I had a bit of work to do there.”
“But, yeah, it all worked out, so that’s nice, you know, when you can battle a bit like that. Of course, Kimi was a bit further up the road because of it all, but that’s okay.”
Slow pit stop adds to Red Bull’s difficult afternoon at the 2026 F1 United States GP
Red Bull’s difficulties continued during Verstappen’s second pit stop, when a slow tyre change cost him additional time. The delay compounded the challenges created by the team’s tyre strategy and the inconsistent behaviour of his car.
Following his final stop, Verstappen attempted to recover positions as Norris struggled with ageing tyres. The Dutchman eventually closed the gap to the McLaren driver and overtook him at Turn 1 on Lap 47, temporarily reclaiming second.
However, Leclerc followed him through the field, passing Norris before closing on Verstappen. The Ferrari driver subsequently overtook the Red Bull on the back straight, leaving Verstappen third during the closing stages.
Although Verstappen secured another podium, he acknowledged that Red Bull had failed to execute several aspects of its race effectively.
“And then, like I said before, the slow pit stop doesn’t help as well. It’s just seconds that you throw away, right? And then when you’re fighting a close battle for second, that hurts your performance.”
“So, for sure, today, just normally we’re very good at these things, but today we weren’t.”
The late Virtual Safety Car, which followed Valtteri Bottas’ retirement, ultimately helped Verstappen retain third as Lewis Hamilton closed behind him.
Verstappen criticises recurring Red Bull radio problems
Verstappen also expressed frustration with Red Bull’s continuing radio communication difficulties, which complicated another challenging race weekend.
The Dutchman has experienced similar problems on several occasions throughout the season, with communication issues adding to the difficulties of managing strategy and car performance during Grands Prix.
When asked about the recurring problems, Verstappen emphasised that they had become a persistent concern rather than an isolated occurrence.
“It’s not the second time. It’s already, I don’t know how many times this year. Maybe we should just start communicating in sign language. It’s probably cheaper as well. It’s a disaster. Yeah, it’s a disaster. It’s really frustrating, to be honest.”
His comments highlighted another area Red Bull must address, particularly as the team attempts to build on the progress it demonstrated during its consecutive victories in Malaysia and Singapore.
Verstappen calls for improvements ahead of Mexican GP
Despite securing his tenth podium of the campaign, Verstappen leaves Austin with several concerns over Red Bull’s performance and race execution.
The Dutchman acknowledged that the team had struggled to respond to changing tyre conditions, while power unit inconsistencies and pit stop difficulties prevented him from challenging for a stronger result.
His disappointment contrasted sharply with Red Bull’s recent success, particularly after the team’s competitive performances in Malaysia and Singapore had raised expectations ahead of Austin.
However, Verstappen also recognised that the team must understand why its recent approach failed to deliver similar results at COTA.
“So, yeah, something to learn from.”
With Formula 1 heading to Mexico City for the next round, Red Bull will aim to address the difficulties that compromised Verstappen’s United States GP. Although the Dutchman demonstrated his ability to recover positions during the race, his assessment made clear that the team must improve both its car performance and operational execution to challenge for further victories before the end of the 2026 season.
