Max Verstappen may be starting from the front row for Sunday’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, but the reigning world champion is already sounding the alarm. After being edged out of pole position by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by less than a tenth of a second, Verstappen raised concerns about Red Bull’s ongoing struggle with tyre overheating—an issue he fears could undermine their performance over a full race stint.
Despite making improvements overnight at Imola, Verstappen said the RB21 still struggles to maintain the optimal temperature range on its tyres, particularly with the C6 Pirelli compound. While pleased with the progress Red Bull made since Friday’s free practice sessions, the Dutch driver warned that short-term gains in qualifying pace might not translate into consistent race pace if the tyre issues persist.
“I mean it was definitely a good step forward,” Verstappen told Sky Sports F1 after qualifying. “Yesterday was very tough but today everything felt a bit more normal. I was a lot happier. Unfortunately, just on that C6 we couldn’t extract the same [performance] as what maybe on the C5 was possible. That was a bit unfortunate but overall quite happy with the car.”
However, even that confidence comes with a caveat. “The race, of course, is a completely different story because if we’re overheating over one lap, then the race isn’t going to be easy,” Verstappen added.
Red Bull’s Tyre Trouble and McLaren’s Rising Challenge
Red Bull’s recent tyre issues are not new, but they’ve become more apparent under specific compound selections, particularly the C6, which is being used for the first time in Imola this year. Verstappen’s concern is not just about a single lap or stint—it’s about long-term competitiveness, especially as teams like McLaren continue to improve in tyre preservation and race pace.
Oscar Piastri’s pole position run at Imola was another sign of McLaren’s growing threat. After battling Verstappen hard in Miami—where Verstappen executed a defensive masterclass to keep both McLarens at bay—the Woking-based team now appears to have the edge in tyre management. That edge could be decisive on Sunday at the high-degradation Imola circuit.“If they pass or not, that’s what it is,” Verstappen said. “We just try to maximise everything in our car.”
That mindset has served Red Bull well in past title fights, but it’s clear that the field is tightening. Verstappen now trails Piastri by 32 points in the drivers’ standings—a gap that seemed unlikely just a few races ago, when Red Bull appeared dominant.
To close the gap, Red Bull has been rolling out upgrades over the past few race weekends. Yet the gains have not been as dramatic as expected. The overheating issue may be undermining the true pace of the RB21, and unless resolved, could continue to put Verstappen on the defensive against an aggressive and well-prepared McLaren outfit.
Looking ahead, Verstappen and Red Bull also have their eyes on the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix, where a new FIA directive on flexi-wings could shift the performance landscape. Red Bull believes the clampdown could impact McLaren’s aerodynamic advantage, potentially rebalancing the title fight. But until then, they’ll need to rely on consistency and clever strategy to keep pace with their rivals.
