Verstappen insists he is happy at Red Bull despite concern over car

‘I’m happy, I’m just not very happy with our car,’ says F1 world champion despite finishing sixth in last race in Bahrain

RELAX TO THE MAX: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands speaks during a news conference ahead of the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, April 17, 2025. Pic: AP Photo/Darko Bandic

Max Verstappen played down concerns that he may leave Red Bull after the world champion was left frustrated and disappointed at the last round in Bahrain but reiterated that he was unhappy with the car and that as things stood it will be hard to defend his title this season.

Verstappen finished sixth in Bahrain, unable to make any impression against the frontrunners McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari. The car struggles with balance problems and is proving a handful to drive, with the team identifying a disconnect between their data from the wind tunnel and its real-world performance.