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Verstappen tried everything with DRS; Red Bull promises quick fix

22 May 2022 at 18:57
Last update 22 May 2022 at 19:18
  • GPblog.com

Max Verstappen made it clear over the onboard radio that he was not happy with the DRS problems. After the Spanish Grand Prix, the new leader in the 2022 championship talked about his experiences from the cockpit. Meanwhile, employer Red Bull Racing expects to solve the problem soon.

Verstappen called the first thirty laps "very frustrating" in conversation with Sky Sports. "I really don't know what happened at turn 4, braked at the same point but lost the rear. Caught me by surprise. It was gusty the whole race. That caught me out, I went off which is not great.

Faulty DRS frustrates Verstappen

The 24-year-old Dutchman agrees that it was a personal mistake. He argues that nothing was lost at that point, as the RB18 had sufficient speed. "Nothing lost but my DRS started having issues. Sometimes it was opening midway on the straight. I was spamming the paddle, sometimes it opened and closed. It was hard and tough. We have to be realistic we were off on one lap pace. Charles was pulling away a little bit. you have to be super reliable you can't drop points. We have to work on our performance a bit more but this was positive for the team," Verstappen said.

Also in the press conference, Verstappen briefly addressed the fact that the DRS was not working as desired. "I'm not stupid. As soon as the light comes on and I hear a sound, I press the button. Then if the rear wing doesn't open, then you have a clear problem. I really tried everything: staying off the kerbs, not pressing the button until later..."

Quick fix for Red Bull

Helmut Marko told Motorsport-Total.com that Red Bull now knows what caused the problem. The next Grand Prix in Monaco is soon, but the advisor of the Austrian racing stable is confident enough that the issue will be solved in time. "It shouldn't be a problem," he said.