News summary
- Max Verstappen complained about the balance of Red Bull’s RB22 during Friday practice for the Italian GP.
- The 4-time world champion finished 9th in FP2, 0.818s behind George Russell, after sitting out FP1.
- Verstappen believes the gap to the front is still significant but expects Red Bull to make progress in Qualifying and the race.
Max Verstappen once again highlighted Red Bull’s difficulties with the balance of the RB22 during Friday practice at the Italian GP, but the Dutchman remains confident that the team can move closer to its main rivals as the weekend progresses.
Verstappen did not participate in FP1, with Red Bull handing the car to rookie Ayumu Iwasa as part of the team’s mandatory rookie running. The 4-time world champion took over the RB22 for FP2 and set a 1:23.377, good enough for 9th place, more than 0.8s behind session leader George Russell.
Russell topped a closely fought FP2 ahead of Charles Leclerc and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, while Verstappen struggled with grip and front-end instability.
“It was difficult to find the right balance of the car today, and we’ll need to work on that to find a little more lap time tomorrow,” Verstappen said.
The Red Bull driver was heard complaining over team radio several times during the session as he struggled to extract consistent performance from the car around Monza’s high-speed layout.
“Our gap to the drivers at the front is still big, but hopefully we can reduce it a little in Qualifying, over one lap. Hopefully we’ll be even closer in the race and things will come together a little better over the long stint, but that’s more difficult to predict,” he added.
The FP2 result highlighted the challenge facing Red Bull. Russell, Leclerc and Antonelli occupied the top 3, while Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton also finished ahead of Verstappen. Oliver Bearman was another surprise ahead of the Dutchman in 8th with Haas.
Verstappen nevertheless believes there is still time to make meaningful changes to the RB22 before Saturday.
“We’re analyzing what we can do overnight with the car and seeing if we can make some positive changes to try to find the ideal balance in the corners. Of course, for me today it was only FP2, but it was good that Ayumu had the opportunity to drive,” he concluded.
The Red Bull driver’s comments echo the cautious approach he had already adopted before arriving at Monza. The team has historically performed well at the circuit, and Verstappen won the Italian GP in 2025, but the current competitive picture is difficult to predict given the different demands of Monza compared with the circuits used in recent rounds.
With Ferrari introducing its second power-unit upgrade of the season and Mercedes showing strong pace on Friday, Verstappen faces a significant challenge in Qualifying. Red Bull’s priority overnight will be to improve the RB22’s balance and close what Verstappen described as a large gap to the front.
FAQ
Where did Max Verstappen finish FP2 at Monza?
Verstappen finished 9th with a 1:23.377, 0.818s behind George Russell.
Why did Verstappen miss FP1?
Red Bull gave the RB22 to Ayumu Iwasa for FP1 as part of the mandatory rookie running required by the Formula 1 regulations.
What was Verstappen’s main complaint in FP2?
The 4-time world champion said Red Bull struggled to find the right balance, particularly through the corners, and admitted the gap to the leading drivers remained significant.
