Max Verstappen’s low downforce setup backfires in rainy British Grand Prix

Max Verstappen described his British Grand Prix as “horrible” after Red Bull’s gamble on a low downforce setup failed to deliver in wet conditions. Despite starting from pole, the reigning world champion struggled throughout the race, eventually finishing fifth after a difficult afternoon at Silverstone.

After dealing with heavy understeer in Friday practice, Red Bull opted to switch to a lower downforce rear wing for qualifying. The change paid off initially, helping Verstappen claim his fourth pole of the season ahead of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. But when the rain arrived on Sunday, the setup choice quickly turned into a disadvantage.

“The pace just wasn’t there from the start,” Verstappen told Viaplay. “There was oversteer, understeer… I really had to hold onto the wheel the whole time. It could’ve gone wrong many more times.”

Verstappen lost control of the car during a restart on lap 22, dropping back into traffic, and was unable to match the pace of his rivals. He eventually worked his way past Pierre Gasly and Lance Stroll to claim P5, but admitted the conditions highlighted Red Bull’s weaknesses.

“I didn’t have more pace than anyone around me. That was just my pace, and it wasn’t good,” he said. “It was partly down to the wing levels, but in general, we were poor in these low-grip conditions. Just a horrible race.”

Asked about the spin, Verstappen said: “I don’t know. I got on the throttle and the car just went. I was doing the same pace as the others around me. Later in the race, when the conditions shifted and everyone was managing the tyres, it improved slightly. But the balance was still way off.”

Verstappen defended the decision to use the low downforce setup, explaining that the forecast had initially looked more favorable. “The overnight weather forecast changed a lot. Up until Saturday night, it looked like we’d only get a bit of rain in the morning. But suddenly, it became much worse.”

Despite the issues, Verstappen praised the team’s race strategy, including staying out on intermediate tyres longer than some rivals. “That was the right call. Finishing fifth was probably the best we could do after everything that happened.”

Verstappen remains third in the championship, but now trails Piastri by 69 points after the McLaren driver finished second behind teammate Norris. With Norris just eight points behind, Verstappen’s position as Red Bull’s title contender is coming under increasing pressure.