Max Verstappen suffers UNUSUAL F1 Red Bull car problem in Vegas

Las Vegas Grand Prix

Verstappen suffers UNUSUAL Red Bull car problem in Vegas

Max Verstappen has faced an early issue at the Las Vegas GP

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Friday 22 November 2024 16:00

Max Verstappen suffered a bizarre issue with his Red Bull at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, starting his race weekend in a troubled fashion.

A brilliant come-from-behind win in Brazil last time out put the Dutchman in touching distance of his fourth consecutive drivers' championship, which he can clinch this weekend.

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If Verstappen wins the race Las Vegas, or indeed finishes higher than title rival Lando Norris, then he will join the likes of Sebastian Vettel and Alain Prost despite a turbulent year for the Red Bull star on-track.

Prior to Brazil, the champion had not won a grand prix since the Spanish GP, with Red Bull not only outpaced by McLaren but also Ferrari in recent races.

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Max Verstappen reports strange FP1 issue in Las Vegas

Norris finished the session P3, behind the two Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, as the drivers battled with the tricky conditions in the dust.

Verstappen only managed to set the fifth best time, and was also plagued by a bizarre issue throughout the first session.

“Mate, the **** wheel! This…,” he said during FP1.

“There’s this connection issue. The radio went on by itself.”

When the cars assembled on the starting grid towards the end of the session, Verstappen once again reported the issue.

“The steering wheel sometimes randomly disconnects,” he added.

Red Bull Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Lando Norris Sebastian Vettel Las Vegas Grand Prix