F1 Japan: Max Verstappen completely lost with F1: 'I'm not angry, that's not good'

Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen completely lost with F1: 'I'm not angry, that's not good'

2026 just gets worse for Verstappen

By Jan Bolscher.

Saturday 28 March 2026 14:22

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Max Verstappen says he's moved past the frustration following another disappointing F1 qualifying session at the Japanese Grand Prix, prompting an apathetic response.

Red Bull arrived in Japan with a major update package, yet the new parts didn't deliver as hoped.

Verstappen struggled throughout all three practice sessions and was even eliminated in Q2 during qualifying, having to settle for 11th, while his teammate Isack Hadjar managed an eighth place grid slot.

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Verstappen hits total apathy

"I felt a lot like yesterday, we ran into aerodynamic issues again," Verstappen explained to Viaplay.

"I was really unsettled and couldn’t push into a corner, but oddly, the car wouldn’t rotate in the middle of the turn either. I’m at a loss about what to make of it. The worst part is that I’m not even angry anymore; I’ve long moved past that. That’s just not right."

Mounting problems at Red Bull

"In the third practice this morning, the car was stabilising well at the back but we still had a lot of understeer," Verstappen continued.

"Then in qualifying, as soon as I tried to push, the car broke loose in all the fast corners and returned to understeer mid-corner. It was very odd. We’re dealing with too many issues right now, that’s our biggest problem. I no longer dwell on the start, as that has been resolved, but the launch itself remains very subpar."

Mercedes take pole at Suzuka

While Verstappen struggled to finish in the top 10, Mercedes locked out the front row at the Japanese Grand Prix with Kimi Antonelli securing back-to-back poles in front of George Russell.

Oscar Piastri returned to form with McLaren and took third, beating Charles Leclerc's Ferrari after he made a mistake late on in his lap in Q3.