Verstappen says Red Bull have improved car after taking pole
Max Verstappen said Red Bull's first pole position of 2026 reflects progress made with the car in recent races. The result came less than a month after he described the car's degradation-related issues at Monza, which he and Laurent Mekies said cannot be fully solved in 2026.
Max Verstappen said his first pole position of the 2026 season showed the progress Red Bull have made with their car in recent races. He said the team had managed to push some of its weaknesses out.
The pole came less than a month after Verstappen qualified sixth at Monza and described the Red Bull as a "paper" car. That remark was specifically about a car degradation issue, involving components that can sometimes deteriorate during a race.
According to Verstappen and team principal Laurent Mekies, that degradation problem cannot be fully resolved in 2026. Even so, the latest result was presented as evidence that Red Bull have improved the car's overall performance.
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