Although Max Verstappen secured a podium finish at the Circuit of the Americas, Red Bull's hospitality was subdued. Team members acknowledged Kimi Antonelli's superior race pace, while both Red Bull drivers were frustrated by the team's inability to extract full potential. The difficult afternoon was caused by recurring issues: poor starts and inconsistent power unit behaviour.
Isack Hadjar summed up the frustration, stating that if the team fixed the 'silly things' - poor radio and clutch problems - they might already be on the podium. Hadjar described radio issues as a nightmare when dropping the clutch, noting he often does not know what is happening. In Austin, Verstappen also struggled to hear stand-in race engineer Tom Hart.
Team principal Laurent Mekies confirmed the radio problem is unacceptable and must be resolved before year's end. However, the start issue is more complex. Hadjar argued Red Bull needs to redesign the clutch, but Mekies clarified it is not as simple as adjusting procedures.
While starts can improve, a proper solution requires hardware changes and will remain an obstacle until 2027. Mekies noted the competition is doing a better job, as Red Bull has been struggling more than desired with these issues.
Source: Autosport F1 News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing