F1 Chinese Grand Prix: Max Verstappen hits back at awful Red Bull starts- 'I'm not an idiot'

Max Verstappen, Red Bull, China, 2026 — Photo: © IMAGO

Chinese Grand Prix

Max Verstappen hits back at awful F1 starts: 'I'm not an idiot'

Max Verstappen could be in for a very long year at Red Bull

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Sunday 15 March 2026 20:13

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Four-time champion Max Verstappen has gotten rather defensive when talking about a persistent issue he is facing at the wheel of his new Red Bull F1 car.

The Dutchman was highly critical of the sport's new era during the 2026 pre-season and having now raced his RB22 at the first two rounds of the championship, it has become clear that it will not be plain sailing for neither Verstappen nor Red Bull under the new regulations.

The chassis and power unit rules have been completely overhauled for 2026 and beyond, reshuffling the competitive order.

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After two full-length races and the first sprint of the season at this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix, Mercedes have emerged as the ones to beat, whilst Ferrari are hot on the heels of the Silver Arrows.

But last year's championship opponents Red Bull and McLaren currently look to be in no shape to bring the fight to the top two constructors, with Verstappen growing increasingly frustrated.

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Verstappen stumped by Red Bull problem

One constant that the 28-year-old has experienced with the F1 2026 machinery is a horrendous starting procedure.

At last week's season-opener, Verstappen didn't really feel the full impact of his poor engine launch given that he began the race way back in P20.

But in Shanghai on Sunday, his difficulties with the new starting procedure saw the champion drop from P8 all the way down to P14 as cars rushed to overtake him on both sides of the track.

As if Verstappen's grand prix start wasn't bad enough, he then received a devastating message from Red Bull over team radio, calling him in to retire the car on lap 46, continuing his disappointing 2026 run.

In conversation with French outlet Canal+ following his DNF at the Chinese GP, Verstappen confirmed he had suffered the same issue with his starting procedure once again, saying: "Yeah, same problem, different procedure...I have no words for that, I don't know why it keeps happening.

"That of course complicates the race alot but even then, at one point I thought I might make it to let's say our normal position, a chance to be behind the Mercedes and the Ferrari cars, but we still have no pace so yeah, just massive degradation.

"There's just not much you can do, I'm just a passenger in the car and I'm just driven by what the tyres give me."

The reporter then put it to Verstappen that it was curious that he didn't have an explanation to his starting procedure problems considering the other three cars using the Red Bull power unit didn't appear to suffer the same struggle.

When asked if he had compared his own data to that of his team-mate and the two Racing Bulls drivers, Verstappen responded: "Yeah but I mean I'm not doing anything wrong. It’s just the engine not lifting. I’m not an idiot."

F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen Chinese Grand Prix Shanghai International Circuit