Unwell Verstappen identifies 'essential' issues with Red Bull.

      Max Verstappen has disclosed that he has been unwell throughout his home Grand Prix weekend, even as temporary teammate Liam Lawson has managed to stay unusually close to him at Zandvoort. "I’ve been feeling sick all weekend," the four-time world champion mentioned on Saturday. "And today, it seems I have gotten even worse." "It’s not pleasant. I’m just ill, like anyone else when they’re unwell."

      Despite this, Verstappen qualified in seventh place, with Lawson only 0.085 seconds behind. Verstappen attributes the gap partly to the unresolved deeper issues with the car. "We’ve made several changes to the car, but they haven’t made much difference," he stated. "I think we are now somewhat stuck with fundamental problems in the car that we need to address." "Hopefully, we can resolve them for next year. It’s not that frustrating because we’ve been dealing with the same problems all year."

      Lawson mentioned that adapting to the RB22 has been challenging since everything feels quite different from his Racing Bulls car. "Except for the engine, everything feels different," the New Zealander noted. However, he emphasized that the weekend has highlighted how much more confident and experienced he is now compared to when Red Bull released him after just two races in 2025. "I’ve always known what I’m capable of deep down," Lawson said. "It’s just that things have unfolded differently." "But now, perhaps, you and everyone else can see it."

      Verstappen had previously criticized Red Bull for replacing Lawson so quickly, and he reaffirms that stance. "Yes, that was certainly my opinion," the Dutchman said. He hopes Lawson can build on this unexpected opportunity for his future. "I hope so," Verstappen expressed. "I hope so. It’s not something I can control anyway."

      Verstappen also noted that Yuki Tsunoda’s immediate pace at Racing Bulls suggests that adapting to the 2026 cars might be easier than in previous generations. "I think it’s a bit easier with these cars to hop in and perform right away. Everyone has been within a tenth all season," he commented. "That’s just how it is."

      For Lawson, however, the immediate priority is to make the most of Sunday’s race. "Honestly, I came into this weekend without really thinking about my future or the car I’m driving." "I have an opportunity to earn points tomorrow. That’s my current focus."