Max Verstappen has admitted he needs “a few days to reset” after his race ended in retirement at the British Grand Prix.
The Dutch driver has now endured two race weekends in succession ruined by rear-wing failures. The first came during qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix, destroying his hopes of securing a competitive grid position.
A similar failure then struck during the race at Silverstone, where Verstappen narrowly avoided crashing into the barriers and later labelled the faulty component unsafe.
Those setbacks have underlined the scale of Red Bull’s problems this season. The RB22 has lacked both outright speed and reliability, leaving Verstappen unable to challenge at the front. Instead, he has spent much of the year battling for midfield points and positions near the back of the top 10.
Verstappen has also been outspoken about Formula 1’s 2026 regulations, previously describing the new cars as “Formula E on steroids” and criticising the style of racing they have produced.
His struggles have intensified speculation over his long-term future. Reports claim his contract includes an exit clause that could become active if he is outside the top two in the drivers’ standings after the calendar break.
“It would be a very zen person to be optimistic at the moment, given what happened again this weekend,” Verstappen said to media.
“I’m sorry, but it’s just like that. I need a few days, I think, to reset and try again.”
“Everyone is trying their best,” he added.
“I’m not blaming one person or whatever. It’s just painful for everyone that this is happening.”
Verstappen sits on 76 points following Silverstone, well behind second-placed George Russell and third-placed Lewis Hamilton, making that scenario increasingly likely even with maximum points before the break.
