Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda were both eliminated in Q1 during qualifying for the São Paulo Grand Prix. The result marked a rare early exit for the reigning World Champion, who had struggled all weekend with the balance and performance of his Red Bull RB21.

Despite managing P4 in the Sprint, Verstappen could only qualify 16th for the main race. The Dutch driver has voiced frustration over the car’s lack of competitiveness, writing himself off as a potential 2025 champion.

The setback dealt a major blow to his title hopes, as he trails 39 points behind championship leader Lando Norris. The result highlighted ongoing difficulties for Red Bull as they continue to search for performance improvements.

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko confirmed that the team will hold a pre-race meeting to address their poor qualifying performance at the São Paulo Grand Prix, which saw both Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda eliminated in Q1.

Speaking to Sky Germany, Marko admitted 'things went badly wrong,' noting the RB21 had lost time across all sectors. He revealed that the team’s new floor, introduced in Mexico and used again at Interlagos, failed to deliver the expected performance gains.

The Austrian added that Red Bull had 'taken a wrong turn' in car development and needed to analyse where it occurred. Marko concluded that the team would meet before the race to decide on corrective measures to recover competitiveness.  

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