Red Bull Struggles as McLarens Overtake Verstappen in Imola Practice

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen admitted his team is “not fast enough” after McLaren cars overtook him during Formula 1 practice at Imola. On May 16, Verstappen ended Friday in fifth place in the second free practice session.

He was 0.442 seconds behind Oscar Piastri, the McLaren driver who led FP2. Red Bull worked on several car updates at the Italian track, including a new engine cover, rear suspension, and rear corners.

However, McLaren also arrived with its own upgrades, and the gap remains clear in longer runs. Speaking after practice, Verstappen said, “We tried a lot of bits, some worked better than others but yeah overall not fast enough at the moment.”

When asked about his chances for pole position this weekend, Verstappen replied, “At the moment not very high.” He explained the team needs to find better corner balance for increased speed.

During the long stint simulations, Verstappen noted the McLarens overtook him and started to pull away, which he saw as a clear sign his team was behind. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko shared similar thoughts and reflected on the previous race in Miami, where Verstappen finished 40 seconds behind Piastri.

Marko said, “Disappointing, McLaren is still, from what it looks like, four tenths ahead—that’s quite a lot on this track.” He added that although Red Bull’s new parts have improved performance, the deficit to McLaren has not closed enough to fight for the lead.

According to Marko, Red Bull has reduced the gap from around seven tenths in Miami to roughly four tenths at Imola, but the McLarens still set the pace. Verstappen’s teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, also showed good speed, finishing within a tenth of Verstappen’s best time in practice.

Marko pointed this out as a positive, saying Tsunoda handled the current car setup well. The Red Bull team now looks ahead to qualifying to see if they can improve its position or if the tyre wear seen during practice will become a challenge on race day.

McLaren, with both Piastri and Lando Norris, continues to show strong form after recent podiums and victories. As the Friday sessions ended, McLaren held the top two spots in FP2, signaling they remain the team to beat at Imola.

For Red Bull and Verstappen, the search for speed continues, as both the defending champion driver and team work on finding answers before Sunday’s race. The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix returns to the famous Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola, known for its fast corners and technical challenges.

With qualifying and the race to come, Red Bull is pushing to close the gap to McLaren and hoping that overnight adjustments can bring them closer to the front. All eyes are on whether Verstappen can turn things around, or if McLaren’s momentum will continue through the weekend. For more insights into Formula 1 performance metrics, you can explore resources from the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).

McLaren cars overtook him during Formula 1 practice at Imola. Red Bull worked on several car updates at the Italian track, including a new engine cover, rear suspension, and rear corners.

Marko said, “Disappointing, McLaren is still, from what it looks like, four tenths ahead—that’s quite a lot on this track.” He added that although Red Bull’s new parts have improved performance, the deficit to McLaren has not closed enough to fight for the lead. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko shared similar thoughts and reflected on the previous race in Miami, where Verstappen finished 40 seconds behind Piastri. For further technical details on Formula 1 car upgrades, refer to MIT’s Motorsports Research.

Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.