Red Bull had a disastrous race in China, far from their main F1 rivals: key figures met on Verstappen’s private jet
Red Bull endured another weekend to forget in China, leading to an emergency meeting aboard Max Verstappen‘s private jet to address the ongoing issues in F1. The Austrian team is struggling both at race starts and with the drivability of the RB22. Verstappen was clearly frustrated after a race spent battling mid-field, which ended in retirement. He strongly criticized the new regulations.
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Max Verstappen with Sergio Perez and Gabriel Bortoleto — PH: Red Bull Content Pool
On a weekend overshadowed by Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton, the two frontrunners for the 2025 championship faced nightmares. McLaren failed to start, with both drivers forced to retire before the lights went out. Between Melbourne and Shanghai, excluding the Chinese Sprint Race, only Lando Norris in Australia managed to start a race.
While the MCL40 never left the pits, the RB22 tried but failed. Another poor start forced Max Verstappen to recover from the back. Eventually, he had to retire his car as well. Meanwhile, Isack Hadjar managed a better performance, finishing eighth. The car remains nervous and difficult to handle, even for the four-time world champion, indicating an urgent need for improvement.
Emergency meeting on Verstappen’s private jet
After the race, Laurent Mekies canceled the usual media session. Hours later, GPBlog.com reported seeing him board Max Verstappen’s private jet. He was soon followed by Pierre Waché, Gianpiero Lambiase, and Raymond Vermeulen, Verstappen’s manager. While it’s unclear whether this was coincidental or an urgent meeting, it likely involved critical discussions about Red Bull’s future direction.
The four-time world champion is dissatisfied with both the car and current F1 regulations. Although Verstappen has denied any thoughts of early retirement, it remains uncertain if Red Bull can turn things around before the season ends.
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Cover photo: Red Bull Content Pool