Max Verstappen is excited to go home while waiting to hear about his British GP penalty.
Max Verstappen showed his frustration after qualifying seventh at the British Grand Prix. Known as one of Formula 1’s most thrilling drivers with four World Championships, 2026 has been a tough year for the 28-year-old. He’s currently seventh in the driver standings, way behind the leader Kimi Antonelli, who took pole position by winning the Sprint race.
Verstappen has been openly unhappy with the new energy and engine rules in F1. He even joked that managing battery power feels like playing Mario Kart and said he might think about quitting the sport. His frustration peaked at Silverstone, where the track makes it hard to keep speed and recharge the battery, leaving his car drained before the finish line. This partly explains why he started in seventh place.
When asked if he still thinks he can win a fifth world title, Verstappen wasn’t very hopeful. He said, “They shouldn’t ask me that anymore… I’m mostly looking forward to going home tomorrow evening,” sharing his feelings with De Telegraaf.
Already seeming to accept that Red Bull might not win at the British GP, Verstappen said he didn’t enjoy qualifying on Saturday. He also pointed out one issue with Silverstone: “The faster you are, the better, right? But for me, no enjoyment, unfortunately. It’s still a great track, but it feels a bit different now. The problem is you have to slow down a lot before corners, which makes it less fun.”
After doing well in Austria last month, Silverstone was a setback, and Verstappen’s future in F1 feels uncertain. There are rumors he might join McLaren, where teammate Lando Norris drives, especially after recent talks between Verstappen’s team and McLaren.
Verstappen also hinted that his competitors are improving their cars, while Red Bull hasn’t fixed its balance and performance problems. “People bring upgrades. I said last week, you might seem okay now, but when others improve, they take another step, and you fall behind again,” he explained. “On our side, the car’s balance wasn’t good, and the top speed wasn’t there for some reason, which we couldn’t fix in qualifying. That worries me because it shows there’s a clear problem.”
Verstappen is signed with Red Bull until 2028, but he reportedly has a clause that might let him leave after this season.