Verstappen slates Red Bull for "unacceptable" failure

Max Verstappen has labelled a second Red Bull retirement in the opening three races as "unacceptable" after ending the Australian Grand Prix in flames.

The reigning champion was in a comfortable second, unable to challenge eventual race winner and championship leader Charles Leclerc, before grinding to a halt at turn two with fire emerging from underneath the RB18's bodywork.

Verstappen won in Jeddah last time out but also retired from second on the road in Bahrain which has left him 46 points behind Leclerc.

"We are already miles behind," he told Sky Sports F1. "I don't even want to think about the championship fight at the moment, I think it is more important to finish races.

"Of course, today in general was a bad day again. Just not really having the pace, just managing my tyres to try bring it to the end because it felt like an easy P2 and I knew I could not fight Charles so there was no point trying.

"But we didn't even finish the race so it is pretty frustrating and unacceptable."

Red Bull furiously tended to Verstappen's car ahead of the race, with work taking place in the garage around an hour beforehand and again on the grid in the build-up to lights out.

"I mean I knew there was a problem so there was obviously going to be a question mark of finishing the race," added Verstappen.

"These kinds of things, if you want to fight for the title cannot happen."

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