Red Bull experienced a nightmare scenario at their home circuit, walking away without a single point. The Austrian Grand Prix turned into a painful spectacle, as Max Verstappen retired early and Yuki Tsunoda faced multiple setbacks. Team principal Christian Horner didn’t hide his frustration, calling it a “horrible race” from start to finish.
Max Verstappen looked strong during final practice on Saturday, but qualifying didn’t go as planned. He complained about poor balance and couldn’t push the RB21 as expected on his last lap. In fact, Pierre Gasly spun ahead and brought out yellow flags, forcing Verstappen to abandon his final run. That left him starting further down the grid and hoping to recover during Sunday’s Grand Prix. But after just three corners, his race ended when Antonelli’s Mercedes clipped him at Turn 3. The contact forced Verstappen to retire immediately, ending Red Bull’s hopes early on home soil.
Horner Says It Was a Weekend to Forget
Christian Horner said it was “desperately unlucky” for Verstappen, who had made a strong start. According to him, “He had done nothing wrong,” and believed Red Bull could have raced hard against Ferrari. He added that McLaren was out of reach, but the team had pace to battle behind the leaders. Yuki Tsunoda’s race also turned difficult, with front-wing damage and a costly time penalty. Horner summed it up clearly: “Unfortunately for us, it was a weekend to forget.”
While Red Bull struggled, McLaren impressed everyone with how well their car handled the hot conditions. Horner was amazed by how Oscar Piastri followed Lando Norris closely without any tyre damage. “What’s truly impressive, is how Oscar stays so close with a full fuel tank » he said. He added that the McLaren keeps its tyres in good shape and stays balanced through the race.
What’s Next for Red Bull after this setback?
Leaving their home race with zero points is a big blow to Red Bull’s confidence. With McLaren looking strong and Ferrari close behind, Red Bull must quickly find a way to respond. This weekend may be behind them, but the problems shown in Austria will not be easy to fix.