Max Verstappen Laments 'Difficult' Red Bull RB20 After Italian GP Qualifying Woes - 'Not Very Driveable'

Max Verstappen reveals his frustration with the challenging performance of his Red Bull RB20 after qualifying struggles.

May 5, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen (1) reacts after finishing second in the Miami Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports / Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

Max Verstappen has expressed significant frustration with the performance of his Red Bull RB20 following a challenging qualifying session for the Italian Grand Prix. The three-time champion qualified in a disappointing P7, struggling to find the balance and driveability needed to fight for pole position.

The Red Bull ace did not mince words, describing the car as "very difficult to drive." He lamented that fixing one issue often led to another. He explained to Sky Sports F1:

"The car is very difficult to drive and find a good balance. If you have one issue and try to fix that, then there is another issue.

"It's not very driveable, let's put it like that. Q2 was not too bad Q3 felt very bad again - I had a lot of understeer on both tyres.

"I lost a lot of lap time, I couldn't really push the tyres, so struggling a lot with that for a reason I can't understand.

"The long runs were not very promising. When you are not balanced, everything becomes difficult in the race.

"The last few races have not been great so we need to turn it around and be competitive."

While Verstappen showed some improvement in Q2, the final Q3 session saw him grappling with severe understeer, hampering his ability to push the tyres effectively.

The Dutch driver's concerns also extend beyond qualifying. He has serious reservations about the car’s performance in long runs, a crucial aspect for race day.

The Italian GP qualifying session itself saw a mix of highs and lows across the field. Lando Norris delivered an impressive performance, claiming pole position. He was closely followed by his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, with George Russell securing third for Mercedes.

Q1 had its share of drama with both Franco Colapinto and Kevin Magnussen experiencing excursions into the gravel. Among the early eliminations were Yuki Tsunoda and Lance Stroll, who couldn't progress beyond Q1.

Q2 saw Norris continue his strong form, briefly overtaken by Lewis Hamilton, who set a leading time of 1:19.641. However, reliability issues affected several drivers, including Leclerc, who reported turning issues. Fernando Alonso and Daniel Ricciardo were notable names not making it through to the final session.

In the final Q3 session, the battle for pole was intense, but Norris's best time held, placing him at the top of the grid. The session’s outcome saw McLaren solidifying their front-row presence, with Mercedes and Ferrari cars filling the subsequent positions.