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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMax Verstappen has blasted the performance of his Red Bull in China. Image: XPB Images<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMax Verstappen has blasted the performance of his Red Bull in China. Image: XPB Images<\/p>\n
The four-time world champion endured a difficult Saturday that followed an equally challenging Sprint race earlier in the day, where he finished ninth and missed out on the points.<\/p>\n
Verstappen revealed the team had made significant changes to the RB22 between the Sprint and qualifying in an attempt to improve its handling, but the effort produced no improvement.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. It was the same. Turned it upside down and it was exactly the same. So I\u2019m expecting exactly the same tomorrow,\u201d Verstappen said when asked if the car would be better for the race.<\/p>\n
The Dutchman expects to spend Sunday battling in a similar area of the field after qualifying outside the top seven.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot much. Where we are. P7. P8. Probably fighting a bit with Pierre [Gasly], but that\u2019s it, yeah. There\u2019s not more in it,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
Verstappen\u2019s frustrations were clear as he described how difficult the car has been to manage throughout the weekend.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s incredibly tough to drive,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no balance. I cannot lean on the car. Every lap is a fight. Yeah, it\u2019s just very difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tyre performance has also proven problematic around the Shanghai International Circuit, with Verstappen fearing the issue could make the race even more challenging.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, I mean every time I did another lap on the tyre set it felt awful,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, yeah, I honestly think it\u2019s going to be quite tough tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
The problems had already been evident earlier in the day during the Sprint race, where Verstappen struggled from start to finish after qualifying eighth for the shorter contest.<\/p>\n
A poor getaway dropped him down the order before he recovered to ninth, leaving him just outside the points.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have not a lot of words at the moment, to be honest,\u201d Verstappen said after the Sprint.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything that could go wrong went wrong. Start, of course, is one problem that we have to fix, but then after that the balance is all over the place.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also highlighted tyre issues and general instability as major factors behind Red Bull\u2019s struggles.<\/p>\n
\u201cProbably the highest degradation of everyone out there, which is just uncontrollable,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlus some other bits on the car that were not, I would say, well prepared. We just need to get our stuff together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even after Red Bull made sweeping setup changes once parc ferm\u00e9 restrictions were lifted, Verstappen said the issues remained.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe changed a lot on the car, it makes zero difference,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe whole weekend, we\u2019ve been off. The car is completely undriveable.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t even put a bit of a reference in, every lap is like survival. I can\u2019t push at all because the car doesn\u2019t let me.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Dutchman admitted the inconsistency of the RB22 is making it impossible to build confidence through a lap.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlso I cannot push. Every lap is honestly survival for me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not enjoying it at all. It\u2019s just very inconsistent. I cannot build a reference through qualifying.\u201d<\/p>\n
Former world champion Jacques Villeneuve also weighed in on Verstappen\u2019s struggles, suggesting the Red Bull driver is visibly frustrated by the car\u2019s behaviour.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe it was a little bit off the pace, but they could fine-tune it. Right now, he\u2019s all over the place,\u201d Villeneuve said on Sky Sports F1.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has no feedback. He doesn\u2019t know\u2026 he just knows the car is undriveable.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe doesn\u2019t know what to do with it, and he\u2019s frustrated.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo he\u2019s not even in the right mental space, so it will be very tough for the team to move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Antonelli becomes youngest ever F1 pole sitter at Chinese GP<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n
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