Max Verstappen’s Furious Outburst: “Red Bull’s Car is Useless!” as Oscar Piastri Steals Miami GP Victory
Max Verstappen has lashed out at his own team, Red Bull, following a disastrous 2025 Miami Grand Prix that saw him relinquish a potential victory to McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. The reigning Formula 1 world champion, who started the race in pole position, was left fuming after finishing a distant third, 15.6 seconds behind Piastri, with McLaren teammate Lando Norris securing second place. Verstappen’s frustrations reached boiling point after a series of setbacks, including Red Bull’s ongoing car balance issues and a catastrophic pit stop mistake that left him powerless to fight for the win.
Having posted a blistering 1:26.204 during qualifying, Verstappen had high hopes for the race, especially after his concerns about the RB21’s performance in low-speed corners. However, the race exposed deeper issues within the team. “The car was absolutely useless today,” Verstappen erupted post-race, as reported by Sky Sports F1. “We’ve been struggling with balance all season, and today was just a complete disaster. If the team can’t give me a car that works, I can’t fight for wins.”
The 25-year-old’s anger was compounded by a pit stop disaster on lap 13, when Red Bull inadvertently released him into the path of Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, resulting in a 10-second penalty and front-wing damage. This costly blunder effectively ended his chances of fighting for the win and opened the door for Piastri to claim a flawless victory.
Red Bull’s troubles were evident from the start, despite introducing a new floor upgrade designed to improve the car’s downforce and balance. The RB21, however, remained unpredictable in the heat, with Verstappen complaining of excessive understeer in the low-speed sections, a problem he had flagged after Sprint Qualifying where he had started fourth. “We know our limitations, but today was unacceptable,” he declared, echoing his earlier remarks from the Bahrain Grand Prix where he had slammed Red Bull’s tire management as “worse” than in 2024.
Piastri, who now leads the championship standings, took full advantage of Red Bull’s tire wear issues and posted a rapid 1:27.489 lap in practice. He cruised to victory with a comfortable 5.2-second gap over Norris, as reported by Formula 1’s live coverage. This win marked Verstappen’s third loss to Piastri in just six races, with the Australian now 15 points ahead in the standings after claiming victories in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Miami.
Red Bull’s incremental upgrade plan, aimed at closing the gap to McLaren, has faltered. Chief engineer Paul Monaghan admitted that the new floor didn’t fully address the team’s ongoing balance problems. Fans on social media echoed Verstappen’s frustrations, criticizing Red Bull for repeated pit stop errors and a poor car setup that continues to drag Verstappen down despite his undeniable talent. Verstappen’s third-place finish behind the McLaren duo highlighted the RB21’s inability to match McLaren’s superior tire management and cornering stability, where Piastri and Norris excelled.
Team principal Christian Horner attributed the pit stop error to “human error” and promised an investigation, but Verstappen’s public outburst has raised doubts about the team’s ability to support their star driver. With Verstappen’s earlier comments in Jeddah about prioritizing the car over driver swaps and his Bahrain criticism of “uncharacteristic errors,” it’s clear that tensions within Red Bull are mounting.
As Piastri extends his lead in the championship, Verstappen’s explosive Miami meltdown – capped by his “useless” outburst – has left fans and pundits questioning whether Red Bull can turn their season around. With the next race in Imola just around the corner, it’s clear that the four-time champion’s patience is wearing thin, and the pressure on Red Bull to deliver a competitive car has never been greater.
