What issues is Max Verstappen facing in Qatar?

Max Verstappen is experiencing severe bouncing and understeer issues with his Red Bull car during the Qatar Grand Prix weekend.

Why did Max Verstappen qualify sixth in Qatar?

Verstappen's sixth-place qualifying was due to significant car bouncing and a set-up that performed poorly on soft tires.

Can Red Bull change Max Verstappen's car set-up for the Qatar sprint?

No, due to parc fermé rules, Red Bull cannot make set-up changes before the sprint race, meaning Verstappen must 'survive' with the current configuration.

Home / Sports / Verstappen Fears Sprint 'Survival' in Qatar

Verstappen Fears Sprint 'Survival' in Qatar

28 Nov, 2025

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Summary

Max Verstappen reported severe bouncing and understeer in Qatar qualifying.
Set-up changes proved detrimental for Verstappen on soft tires.
Verstappen qualified sixth, his worst result this season.

Verstappen Fears Sprint 'Survival' in Qatar

Max Verstappen is bracing for a challenging sprint race in Qatar, expressing concerns about "trying to survive" due to significant set-up issues with his Red Bull. Qualifying saw the reigning world champion plagued by severe bouncing and aggressive understeer, hindering his performance.

Despite efforts to adapt his car, Verstappen could only secure sixth place, his worst qualifying result this season and behind teammate Yuki Tsunoda. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko suggested that the chosen set-up direction, aimed at providing a sharper front end for Verstappen, did not translate well to the soft tires used in qualifying.

With parc fermé rules preventing further set-up adjustments before the sprint, Verstappen anticipates a difficult 19-lap race. The team's primary focus will be on rectifying these issues to improve performance for the main Grand Prix.

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