Verstappen 'intentionally allowed Red Bull to collide with the wall'

      Ralf Schumacher believes that Max Verstappen purposefully escalated tensions within Red Bull during the Canadian GP weekend to compel the team to address its ongoing car issues. Although Verstappen secured a podium finish in Montreal, he displayed frustration after qualifying due to yet another unsuccessful setup attempt on the RB22.

      In an interview with Sky Deutschland, Schumacher mentioned that Verstappen aimed to send a message to the team: “He essentially stated: ‘I intentionally let the team hit a wall.’” According to Schumacher, this incident highlighted the increasing strain at Red Bull, amidst continuous uncertainty regarding the four-time world champion's status for 2027. “It’s evident that there are tensions,” he commented.

      Schumacher also took issue with how Verstappen managed the situation publicly, stating, “I appreciate that Max is so candid and straightforward. However, such matters should ideally remain internal.” The former Williams driver maintains that Red Bull’s main problem lies in the unpredictability of the post-Adrian Newey era under technical director Pierre Wache. “Wache is capable of building fast cars, but not necessarily consistent ones,” Schumacher contended.

      He contrasted the performances of Verstappen and teammate Isack Hadjar in Montreal, noting that Hadjar was quite competitive all weekend, despite Verstappen's discontent. “That doesn’t necessarily signify much, but still,” Schumacher remarked. “They really need to collaborate more effectively now.”

      Schumacher believes Red Bull urgently requires a wider operational range rather than merely pursuing peak performance. “A range that remains effective when conditions change, or if a driver delays braking.” “That is precisely what Red Bull is currently lacking.”

      Team principal Laurent Mekies openly acknowledged that Red Bull could easily reduce the bouncing and instability issues but only by sacrificing outright speed. “Honestly, it would likely be quite straightforward to resolve the issue by simply slowing down the car,” Mekies stated. “But the goal is to address the problem while maintaining speed.” “That complicates the issue.”

      Nevertheless, Mekies emphasized that Red Bull’s development trajectory is progressing positively. “We’ve validated our advancements,” he noted. “Our drivers managed to extract more performance. In Miami, we finished 40 seconds behind the winner. Clearly, it was much closer in Montreal.”