Jos Verstappen: Time for Red Bull to face some hard truths

Verstappen Sr.'s remarks reflect growing concerns within the Red Bull camp about their recent dip in performance. Lando Norris secured a commanding victory over Max Verstappen, finishing a significant 22 seconds ahead, raising questions about Red Bull's current form.

The 2024 season started strongly for Red Bull, with Verstappen and teammate Sergio Perez leading the team to three 1-2 finishes in the first five races, suggesting another year of dominance. However, recent races have seen a notable decline in the Milton Keynes-based squad's performance, particularly in comparison to McLaren—a reality that Max Verstappen has openly acknowledged.

"Something in the car has made it more difficult to drive. And it's very hard to pinpoint where that is coming from at the moment," Max Verstappen explained after his home race. "That is then hurting, of course, our one-lap performance, but also our long run."

Jos Verstappen echoed his son's concerns, hinting that Red Bull may have taken a wrong turn in the development of their RB20 car.

"Maybe I shouldn't say it, but I'm doing it anyway," Jos told De Telegraaf at Zandvoort. "The fact that you have to go back to the car from the beginning of this year says enough. They just don't have it right at the moment. I think they should take a good look in the mirror."

Although Red Bull has recently lost ground to rivals like McLaren and Mercedes, it's also evident that their competitors, particularly McLaren, have steadily evolved and improved their cars.

"Max knew this was coming," Jos added. "He just didn't have a chance. This way, it's going to be really tough for the rest of the year. Max is doing everything he can but doesn't have the equipment to finish it. It was already exceptional that he qualified second."

Despite his father's blunt assessment, Max Verstappen remains composed about Red Bull's situation.

"Yeah, I mean, that happens, right?" he remarked. "I mean, I've had a lot of good years. Some people have never won a race in their career, you know, so you can also look at it like that. From my side, yeah, we at the moment don't have the fastest car. We have some issues that we have to solve, and we are working on that. That's the only thing I can say about that.

"You know, we're very focused on it. There's still a lot of races left, a lot of different kinds of tracks. This weekend was just not our best weekend."

As Red Bull works to regroup and regain their form, they face a critical stretch with many races still ahead. While Max seems ready to confront the challenge head-on, Jos's candid words serve as a stark reminder that the path back to the top won't be easy.