Max Verstappen bemoaned a “day to forget” on Friday at the Mexico City Grand Prix as a recurring engine gremlin on his Red Bull Formula 1 car limited him to 18 laps.
Red Bull’s strive to gain more mileage on the upgrades that it debuted last weekend in the United States endured a setback as Verstappen’s track time was hampered.
Verstappen, a five-time winner at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, saw his involvement in the first practice hour curtailed when he reported a power unit problem.
But although Red Bull boss Christian Horner claimed that the hitch had been diagnosed and resolved, Verstappen completed four laps in FP2 when he sensed trouble.
The Dutchman was instructed to return to the pits and he would be resigned to not going back out on track as Red Bull communicated that his participation was over.
Despite still ending FP1 in fourth, Verstappen conceded that he learnt little across the opening sessions in Mexico that he can take into the remainder of the weekend.
“From the engine side we are checking and I don’t know exactly what it is,” Verstappen divulged.
“But from my side, a pretty much useless day. Did like four or five [representative] laps, so that is not much to read into at the moment.”
Verstappen in the dark on RB20 balance
Red Bull’s Austin updates looked to have dispelled the balance woes that had unravelled its season as Verstappen won the Sprint and then took third in the main race.
However, the reigning F1 champion’s minimal laps at racing speed meant that he was unable to gather an impression of how the RB20 was handling on another track.
Asked how the car was feeling when he was out on track, Verstappen replied: “I cannot tell you. I mean I never really had a good run, only four or five laps in total.
“And that’s even with some long run laps in it, so a day to forget.”
Verstappen denied that he’s concerned he might be made to take a grid drop due to an engine change, though, adding that he will “be alright” with his powertrain pool.
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