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Verstappen Fears Sprint 'Survival' in Qatar
28 Nov
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.

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.




