Verstappen feeling the need for a reset after Silverstone’s ‘super dangerous’ car issue

Max Verstappen says he needs to reset in the gap between races after what he described as another “super dangerous” car issue in the British Grand Prix.

During qualifying in Austria, Verstappen crashed at the penultimate corner when his rear wing did not re-attach properly after a straight mode activation, and the Dutchman attributes his off at Silverstone to a similar issue. While he would not discuss his future post-race on Sunday – amid speculation McLaren could offer him a contract – Verstappen says it’s tough to find positives even though he was running in a podium position due to a problem for Kimi Antonelli.

“I mean, it would be a very zen person to be optimistic at the moment with what's happening again [at Silverstone],” Verstappen said. “I'm sorry, but it's just like that. I need a few days I think to reset and try again.

“Everyone is trying their best. I'm not blaming one person or whatever. It's just painful for everyone that this is happening.”

Asked to explain the issue he suffered, Verstappen said the outcome could have been more serious than simply ending up in the gravel at Stowe.

“[The problem was] like Austria, but different fault, let's say, but the same outcome. So again, while turning into the corner the rear wing is not fully attaching and you lose a lot of downforce for that, so you just spin off the track.

“At that point it's super dangerous because you can really hurt yourself two times. I was lucky in Austria, I was lucky [at Silverstone, but that's why you get really fed up with it.”

Verstappen suggested Red Bull did not listen to his requests for changes to his car ahead of the British Grand Prix as he felt he was down on power for the race.

“I've been lucky of course with everything that happened around me, with the penalty for Lewis [Hamilton], a slow puncture for George [Russell], Kimi's problem… So even if of course we would have finished on the podium... I mean, you take it, but it's not deserved at all. On the hard tires we were really slow – I don't know how I kept George and Lewis behind for so long.

“The whole weekend I had a terrible balance, no top speed compared to the other car as well in the garage, and then the race was exactly the same, which I already predicted. But…

“I wanted to start from the pit lane; they were maybe confident to fix it, which I was not … I don’t know. I’m trying my best with everything, which is all I can do.”