verstappen worstelt weer met red bull rb22 tijdens barca-trainings
Barcelona, zaterdag, 13 juni 2026.
max verstappen eindigde opnieuw als zesde tijdens de laatste vrije training in barcelona, nu 0,7 seconden achter george russell. de viervoudig wereldkampioen klaagde over ernstige gripproblemen en onderstuur, en schudde hoofdschuddend de baan af. red bull lijkt geen antwoord te hebben op de dominantie van mercedes. terwijl russell de snelste tijd zette, blijft verstappen achter op een circuit waar hij eerder vaker won. het team heeft dringend werk aan de winkel voor de kwalificatie.
verstappen remains off pace in final practice
Max Verstappen ended the third free practice session in sixth position at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. His time of 1:16,434 was 0,7 seconds behind George Russell’s fastest lap of 1:15,679 [1]. The gap highlights ongoing performance issues for Red Bull. Verstappen expressed frustration over radio communications, citing inconsistent car behavior. Teammate Isack Hadjar finished eighth, reinforcing concerns about the RB22’s competitiveness ahead of qualifying [2]. Tropical heat exacerbated tire degradation across the field [3].
technical struggles persist for red bull
Verstappen reported severe handling issues throughout the session. He described experiencing both understeer and oversteer, stating, “I don’t know what to do” [4]. These complaints echo those from Friday’s sessions. The car lacks grip in slow, medium, and high-speed corners alike [4]. Red Bull engineers face urgent adjustments before qualifying. Tire management remains problematic, with the RB22 appearing harsh on rubber compared to rivals [4]. Competitors Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren showed stronger race simulations despite similar conditions [1].
mercedes asserts early dominance
George Russell led the timing sheets with a clean 1:15,679 lap on soft tires. Oscar Piastri followed closely in second, just 0,2 seconds adrift [3]. Charles Leclerc took third, placing Ferrari within striking distance of pole contention. Lando Norris, who topped Friday’s timesheets with a 1:16,6 lap, finished fourth [5]. This positions McLaren as a threat alongside Mercedes. Red Bull stands out as the only top team unable to close the gap, raising questions about their setup choices [1].
incident interrupts session tempo
A red flag halted the session with twenty minutes remaining. Valtteri Bottas crashed his Cadillac after suffering sudden brake failure entering Turn 9 [3]. He veered into the gravel trap but avoided contact with barriers. Recovery took approximately ten minutes, disrupting final runs for several drivers. Bottas confirmed he lost pedal pressure entirely [3]. Earlier, Liam Lawson triggered a virtual safety car due to a mechanical stoppage on the straight [5]. Track temperatures remained above 50°C, intensifying tire wear concerns [3].
team faces critical qualifying challenge
With qualifying scheduled later Saturday, Red Bull must resolve fundamental balance flaws. Mike van Weert noted, “There’s still plenty of work to do for Max Verstappen and his team” [1]. The RB22 fails to extract optimal performance from Pirelli’s soft compound. While competitors adapt to high-energy demands of the track, Red Bull lags in both single-lap pace and long-run stability [4]. A strong grid position is crucial, especially given predicted hotter conditions for Sunday’s race [3].