Max Verstappen warns overheating struggles could derail Imola F1 victory bid

Max Verstappen has warned that Red Bull’s tendency to overheat their tyres could derail their bid to win the F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

Verstappen is set to start Sunday’s race at Imola from second on the grid after he was pipped to pole position by Oscar Piastri.

Less than a tenth separated the pair at the end of qualifying.

It sets up an exciting race, with Piastri and Verstappen going head-to-head on the opening lap of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

The pair also fought hard in Miami, with Verstappen putting on a defensive masterclass against the two McLarens.

Speaking to Sky Sports after qualifying at Imola, Verstappen was pleased with the step forward made by Red Bull overnight.

“I mean it was definitely a good step forward,” Verstappen said. “Yesterday was very tough but today everything felt a bit more normal.

“I was a lot happier. Unfortunately, just on that C6 we couldn’t extract the same as what maybe on the C5 was possible. That was a bit unfortunate but overall quite happy with the car. I think what we did overnight was very good and it’s very promising.”

Verstappen’s overheating warning

With Verstappen struggling to keep the C6 Pirelli tyre alive for the whole lap, he’s concerned about how the RB21 will fare over a race distance.

McLaren’s key advantage over their rivals has been how they can look after their tyres.

As a result, Verstappen is concerned that Red Bull might struggle relative to McLaren as they battle for the victory on Sunday.

“The race, of course, is a completely different story because if we’re overheating over one lap then the race isn’t going to be easy,” he added.

“I think the most important thing is that we do our own races. If they pass or not that’s what it is. We just try to maximise everything in our car.”

Heading into Sunday’s race, Verstappen is 32 points behind Piastri in the drivers’ championship.

Red Bull have introduced upgrades at a number of races in a bid to get Verstappen back into the title fight.

Red Bull expect the FIA’s flexi-wing clamp down at the Spanish Grand Prix to have a significant impact on the pecking order, potentially affecting McLaren’s advantage.