Max Verstappen Slams Red Bull for 2025 Miami GP Struggles as Piastri Steals Victory
Max Verstappen unleashed a scathing critique of Red Bull after a disastrous 2025 Miami Grand Prix on May 4, branding their car setup and strategy “useless” as he lost a potential win to McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. The reigning world champion, who started on pole at the Miami International Autodrome, finished a distant third, 15.6 seconds behind Piastri, with teammate Lando Norris taking second. Verstappen’s frustrations boiled over as Red Bull’s ongoing car balance issues and a critical pit stop blunder cost him a shot at reclaiming the championship lead, exposing deep cracks in the team’s 2025 campaign.
Verstappen, who secured pole with a 1:26.204 in qualifying, per Formula 1’s official report, was expected to dominate despite earlier concerns about the RB21’s performance in low-speed corners. However, the race exposed Red Bull’s persistent weaknesses. “The car was useless today,” Verstappen fumed post-race, according to Sky Sports F1.
“We’ve been struggling all season with balance, and today was a farce. I can’t fight for wins if the team doesn’t give me a car that works.” The Dutchman’s anger was compounded by a botched pit stop on lap 13, where Red Bull released him into the path of Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, earning a 10-second penalty and damaging his front wing, as reported by Motorsport.com. The incident dropped him out of contention, allowing Piastri to capitalize with a flawless drive.
Red Bull’s struggles were evident from the start. Despite a new floor upgrade introduced in Miami to improve downforce and balance, the RB21 remained unstable in the heat, with Verstappen noting excessive understeer in low-speed sections, a problem he flagged after Sprint Qualifying where he started fourth. “We know our limitations, but today was unacceptable,” Verstappen added, echoing sentiments from his earlier Bahrain GP criticism where he called Red Bull’s tyre management “worse” than 2024. Piastri, leading the championship, exploited Red Bull’s tyre wear issues, maintaining a 1:27.489 pace in practice, per The Race, and cruising to victory with a 5.2-second gap over Norris, per Formula 1’s live coverage.
The Miami GP marked Verstappen’s third loss to Piastri in six races this season, with the Australian now 15 points ahead in the standings after wins in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Miami. Red Bull’s incremental upgrade plan, intended to close the gap with McLaren, has faltered, with chief engineer Paul Monaghan admitting the new floor didn’t fully address balance issues, per Motorsport.com. Fans on X reflected similar frustrations, with posts noting Red Bull’s repeated pit stop errors and car setup failures dragging Verstappen down despite his brilliance. Verstappen’s third-place finish, behind the McLaren duo, highlighted the RB21’s inability to match McLaren’s tyre management and through-corner stability, areas where Piastri and Norris excelled.
Team boss Christian Horner called the pit stop error “human error” and vowed to investigate, per Motorsport.com, but Verstappen’s public rebuke signals deeper tensions. His earlier comments in Jeddah about focusing on the car over driver swaps, combined with his Bahrain critique of “uncharacteristic errors,” paint a picture of a team struggling to support its star. As Piastri strengthens his title bid, Verstappen’s Miami meltdown—capped by his “useless” outburst—raises questions about Red Bull’s ability to turn their season around. With the next race in Imola looming, the four-time champion’s patience appears to be wearing thin.