“Red Bull Lacked Pace to Beat McLaren,” Says Verstappen After Austrian GP Qualifying

Austrian GP Qualifying: Verstappen Admits Red Bull ‘Nowhere Near’ McLaren After Shock P7.

Max Verstappen cut a composed yet honest figure after a disappointing P7 finish in Austrian Grand Prix qualifying, conceding that Red Bull is “not strong enough” to match the pace of McLaren at the moment.

Lando Norris stunned the paddock with a blistering 1:03.971 to take pole position at Red Bull’s home circuit in Spielberg. He finished over half a second ahead of Charles Leclerc (+0.521s), while championship leader Oscar Piastri secured P3, making it a strong day for McLaren.

Verstappen’s final flying lap was ruined by a yellow flag caused by Pierre Gasly’s spin, forcing him to abandon the lap. However, the Dutchman said the issues ran far deeper than just that single moment.

❝ Car Felt Bad Everywhere ❞
“The whole of qualifying didn’t go well at all,” Verstappen admitted. “There was no corner where the car felt good, so that’s a huge problem in qualifying. It wasn’t nice to drive at all.”

While Red Bull have enjoyed a dominant stretch at their home race in recent years, Verstappen was frank in his assessment:

“I don’t think we’re strong enough to challenge the McLarens… They’re at another level. Hopefully, we can at least fight Ferrari or Mercedes tomorrow.”

Top 10 – Austrian GP Qualifying

1. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 1:03.971
2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – +0.521s
3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
4. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
5. George Russell (Mercedes)
6. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
7. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
8. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)
9. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
10. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

With McLaren clearly ahead on single-lap pace, Sunday’s Grand Prix could depend heavily on strategy and tire management. Verstappen will need a strong start and clean air to challenge the front-runners. Meanwhile, Ferrari looks poised to capitalize if Red Bull continues to struggle for grip and balance.

The 2025 title fight may have a new lead actor in Norris or Piastri, while Verstappen looks to bounce back in front of a home crowd that expected far more.