Formula 1: Max Verstappen and Red Bull are off to a disastrous start in the 2022 season: Max Verstappen, the reigning Formula 1 champion, is struggling to get a hold of his RB18 challenger. He and Red Bull have started the 2022 season on a disastrous note after having two retirements from just three races. Max saw his first retirement of the season at the Bahrain Grand Prix and then again today he had to retire from the Australian Grand Prix. Follow Formula 1 Live Updates on InsideSport.IN.
Max Verstappen won his first F1 title after a controversial race last year at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The Dutch driver had strong Pre-season Testings in Barcelona and Bahrain. He looked comfortable so far but his retirements have caused him to drop points some valuable points, giving Ferrari the early advantage.
Formula 1: Max Verstappen & Red Bull off to disastrous START, two retirements from three races – What’s gone wrong?
Max after the Australian Grand Prix said, “We are so far behind Ferrari. We need to finish races.” Max told this on the team radio after stopping his car in the 39th lap saying, “I smell some weird fluid.”
He added, “Today was a bad day, I was managing the tyres, I could not fight Charles. It was an easy P2 but we didn’t even finish the race, frustrating and unacceptable. These kind of things, if you want to fight for the title, are unacceptable.”
LAP 39/59
Max Verstappen is OUT of the race!!! ❌
He’s had to retire the car after being asked by his engineer to stop at Turn 2#AusGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/hLz41lNaLf
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 10, 2022
Max was comfortably looking for a P2 finish before having a fuel leak which saw him retire his car. He was saving his tyres for the long run today and could have finished in the second spot. However, that was not the case as he had to retire in the 39th lap.
This is not the first instance where he had to retire his car. In the season opener at Bahrain Grand Prix, he was set for a podium finish in the form of P2. But, both the Red Bull cars had to retire in the latter part of the race. The reason for their retirement was a problem with their fuel pressure.
Formula 1: Max Verstappen & Red Bull off to disastrous START, two retirements from three races – What’s gone wrong?
The issues with the fuel pump are causing some serious damage to both Verstappen and Red Bull. Both the retirements were related to the fuel pump issues.
This is by no means helping the drivers and Red Bull as they are easily dropping points. Their arch-rivals Mercedes have now overtaken them in the Constructors Championship and lead by 10 points. Max Verstappen saw himself drop in the Drivers table as he is now in the sixth position. He is trailing by three points to Hamilton who is in the fifth spot.
Red Bull have their work cut out as they have to look closely at what’s going wrong with them. They have a good car in the form of RB18 challenger, but these problems are not helping them. Red Bull needs to come out with a strong answer and get on top of its problems.
Formula 1: Max Verstappen & Red Bull off to disastrous START, two retirements from three races – What’s gone wrong?
