Max Verstappen has raised serious concerns over Red Bull’s rear wing problems after suffering two high-speed incidents in consecutive Formula 1 race weekends.
The four-time world champion described the issue as “super-dangerous” after a failure with Red Bull’s straight-line mode system caused him to spin out while chasing Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari for second place during the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
A similar problem also hit Verstappen during qualifying at the Austrian Grand Prix one week earlier. In both cases, the rear wing failed to return correctly when switching from low-drag mode back to its normal position while entering a corner, suddenly reducing rear downforce.
Verstappen said the failures were caused by different faults but produced the same result, leaving him without the grip needed to keep control of the car.
The Dutch driver admitted his frustration after another difficult weekend, with Red Bull struggling for consistency. Verstappen sits seventh in the championship standings, 103 points behind Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli after nine rounds, and has already retired from three races due to car-related issues.
He said he needed time to reset after the latest setback but stressed he was not blaming individuals within the team, adding that everyone at Red Bull was working to solve the problems.
Team principal Laurent Mekies accepted Verstappen’s criticism and said the team understood the seriousness of sending its drivers into dangerous situations, especially at high-speed corners. He admitted Red Bull had failed to prevent the issue from happening again but promised the team would respond.
Red Bull’s rear wing design differs from most of the grid. While traditional systems are similar to the old DRS concept, with the upper wing flap lifting slightly, Red Bull and Ferrari have developed more aggressive designs aimed at gaining extra straight-line speed.
Red Bull’s version opens by rotating the front edge of the wing backwards until it flips over, while Ferrari uses a different rotation method. Mekies said the team was keeping “all options open” when asked whether Red Bull would continue with the concept.
McLaren has also been developing a similar system but decided against racing its version in Austria after tests showed it was not ready.
The technical problems arrive at a sensitive moment for Verstappen’s future. Although the 28-year-old has a contract with Red Bull until 2028, performance clauses could allow him to leave after this season.
His representatives have reportedly been exploring potential options with rival teams, including Mercedes and McLaren, as Verstappen evaluates where he will have the strongest chance of success in the future.