Horner Reveals Why Max Verstappen ‘Didn’t Have Enough’ in His Red Bull to Counteract Charles Leclerc’s Stunning Pole Charge

Max Verstappen missed the pole position for the Spanish GP after his car had issues in the final minutes of the Q3. The reliability issues have been the real challenge for Red Bull, which they have to resolve as soon as possible.

The reliability issues have been haunting the Austrian F1 team since the first race this season. So far, Red Bull has faced three retirements in the last five races. Further, Sergio Perez had issues with his sensor, which cost him some pace at Miami GP.

The Red Bull reliability issues again haunted Max Verstappen at the Barcelona qualifying, resulting in a P2 finish behind rival Charles Leclerc. Verstappen reported losing power near the end of the Q3 when he was trying to set the fastest lap. However, the team principal, Christian Horner, later revealed the issue wasn’t with the engine but with the DRS.

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Horner reported, “It wasn’t actually power at the end. It was DRS that didn’t open, and we need to get the car back to understand. It opened on the back straight as it check. We didn’t have enough to beat that lap from Charles. That was a great lap under pressure.“

Red Bull boss prioritizes the tires for the Spanish GP

The Red Bull duo secured a P2 and P5. Both the drivers struggled during the Saturday qualifying, and Max had a DRS glitch while Checo had a hard time at Sector 1. However, the Red Bull boss is still happy with the results, especially because Max has a front-row start.

Horner believes the main strategy for the Sunday race will revolve around tire management. He believes, “But it’s still great to have a front-row start. We will see tomorrow. Charles has carried a new set of tires (softs) into the race tomorrow, so that is interesting, but in these temperatures, it’s all about tire deg and tire management.”

Undoubtedly, tire management can be a massive game-changer that fans have witnessed this season, like Alex Albon’s unique tire strategy in the Australian GP that helped him finish top 10. The Milton Keynes-based team has to look into its setup and strategy for the Spanish GP.

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On Sunday, Max wouldn’t have much back-up from Checo, who is stuck between two Mercedes. While Leclerc would have an advantage as he would have Carlos Sainz behind Verstappen. Undoubtedly, the Spanish GP would be an exciting race to watch.