Nicole MulderManaging Editor
Nicole Mulder is Managing Editor at GPblog and a specialist in Formula 1 and MotoGP. With years of experience and permanent FIA accreditation at Grands Prix worldwide, she delivers reliable coverage and insights based on direct access to drivers and the F1 paddock.
Max Verstappen believes more was possible in qualifying for the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix than fifth place. According to the Red Bull Racing driver, a lack of grip in the third sector of his final lap may have cost him a spot on the second row.
Verstappen struggled with the balance of the RB22 throughout the entire Formula 1 weekend and again spoke about a lack of grip after qualifying. Even so, the Dutchman was not dissatisfied with his result, he told, among others, GPblog.
Verstappen not entirely unhappy with Barcelona qualifying
"I think it was a decent qualifying for us. It's a shame that in that last lap the final sector just didn’t come together. For some reason I just didn’t have any grip from Turn 10 onwards. I think that cost me that third place on the final run," he admitted.
The four-time world champion also points to the red flag that interrupted Q3 after Charles Leclerc’s crash. Verstappen and Oscar Piastri already had a lap on the board at that moment, while a large part of the competition had yet to set a time.
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"Most of the guys ahead of me went out again after that red flag because they actually hadn’t done a lap yet. Then I think you miss a bit of that rhythm in Q3, which is nice when you go out, do a lap, come in, and go straight back out. Oscar and I, of course, had that ten-minute break. Maybe that just didn’t work out perfectly."
Verstappen complains about grip again
According to Verstappen, the issue on his final lap wasn’t in one specific corner or sector, but mainly in the sudden loss of grip: "Somehow it just didn’t come back there. The grip just wasn’t the same. Then you start sliding and everything gets a bit more difficult," he explains.
That lack of grip, according to the Dutchman, wasn’t limited to Red Bull. Since Friday, multiple F1 drivers have pointed to high tire degradation and tricky conditions at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Max Verstappen on the circuit in Barcelona - Photo: Red Bull Content Pool
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Verstappen sees the same problem for everyone
"I have to say it’s going to be tough for everyone on the tires tomorrow. It’ll come down to who manages the tires best and who has the best balance in the car. Of course I hope we can put up a bit of a fight with the cars around us," he continued
When asked whether one specific tire compound felt better than the others, Verstappen was clear: none of them: "They all feel bad: medium, hard, soft. So everyone will have the same problem," he stated.
Positive note: Verstappen sees gap shrink
Despite the gap to polesitter George Russell, Verstappen did see improvement compared to Friday. While the difference in practice was heading towards three and a half tenths, Red Bull was closer in qualifying: "Three and a half tenths is of course still three and a half too many. But at least it was better than in practice."
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At the same time, Verstappen finds the step forward difficult to explain: "I don’t fully understand it either. We did change some things, of course, but we didn’t completely overhaul everything. So I don’t quite get why that gap suddenly almost halved," said Verstappen, who will start from P5 on Sunday.
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Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix
Overview
Friday 12.06.26
Practice 1
11:30 AM
Practice 2
03:00 PM
Saturday 13.06.26
Practice 3
10:30 AM
Qualification
02:00 PM
Sunday 14.06.26
Race
01:00 PM
Friday 12.06.26
Practice 1
Fri 11:30 AM
Practice 2
Fri 03:00 PM
Saturday 13.06.26
Practice 3
Sat 10:30 AM
Qualification
Sat 02:00 PM
Sunday 14.06.26
Race
Sun 01:00 PM
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F1-stand 2026
Season
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | MercedesMER | 156 | |
2 | FerrariFER | 90 | |
3 | MercedesMER | 88 | |
4 | FerrariFER | 75 | |
5 | McLarenMCL | 60 | |
6 | McLarenMCL | 58 | |
7 | Red Bull RacingRBR | 43 | |
8 | Red Bull RacingRBR | 29 | |
9 | Racing BullsRCB | 26 | |
10 | AlpineALP | 26 |
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