News Summary
- Max Verstappen qualified sixth for the Italian GP after suffering a recurring problem at the rear of his Red Bull.
- The 4-time world champion said the issue costs the car at least 0.2s, particularly over kerbs and bumps.
- Verstappen is unsure whether Red Bull will be allowed to fix the problem under parc fermé rules before Sunday’s race.
A 4-time world champion, Max Verstappen could only manage sixth on the grid for the Italian GP. The Red Bull driver set a 1:22.070 in qualifying on Saturday (5), leaving him 0.284s behind surprise pole-sitter Pierre Gasly, who took the top spot for Alpine with a 1:21.786.
Verstappen had felt more comfortable with the car in FP3, but a recurring problem at the rear returned in qualifying and prevented him from fighting for pole. The issue had already been identified by Red Bull during Friday’s running, when the team struggled to find the right balance with the RB22.
Speaking to the official Verstappen website after qualifying, the Dutchman explained that the car no longer behaved properly when running over the kerbs and bumps.
“Shame. I had a better feeling in FP3, the balance was a little better, but in qualifying there was something wrong at the rear of the car. We have had that problem before. The car then does not cope properly with the kerbs and bumps. You simply lose time there; I think at least two tenths,” Verstappen said.
The problem proved particularly costly at Monza, where the margins between the leading drivers were extremely small. Verstappen eventually ended qualifying sixth, behind Gasly, George Russell, Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.
Red Bull had already been working on the balance of the RB22 after a difficult Friday at Monza. Technical director Pierre Waché said the team had identified issues similar to those experienced at Zandvoort and still had setup and component decisions to make ahead of qualifying.
The bigger concern for Verstappen now is whether Red Bull can address the problem before the race. Under parc fermé regulations, changes to the car are restricted, although certain repairs may be permitted if a component is damaged.
“I do not know whether we are allowed to fix the problem on the car. If something is broken, sometimes you are allowed to replace it, but sometimes you are not. If the car stays like this, it is going to be a painful race, because there is more potential in it,” Verstappen said.
With the Red Bull still struggling to match Mercedes, Ferrari and Alpine over a single lap, Verstappen will now have to look for a way to recover during Sunday’s race at Monza.
GRANDE PRÊMIO is covering all the action from the Italian GP, the 13th round of the 2026 season.
FAQ
Why did Max Verstappen qualify only sixth at the Italian GP?
Verstappen suffered a recurring rear-end problem during qualifying that affected the Red Bull’s behaviour over kerbs and bumps. He said the issue cost him at least 0.2s.
Can Red Bull fix Verstappen’s car before the Italian GP?
Verstappen said he was unsure whether Red Bull would be permitted to replace the problematic component under parc fermé rules.
What happened to Red Bull’s pace at Monza?
Red Bull struggled with the balance of the RB22 throughout Friday, with the team identifying issues similar to those seen at Zandvoort. Verstappen finished ninth in FP2 before qualifying sixth on Saturday.
