A week to forget, and a recovery that has taken longer than expected
Max Verstappen arrived in Monza on Thursday sounding far more relaxed than he did a week ago. The four-time world champion got through his Dutch Grand Prix on antibiotics, battling flu-like symptoms before, during and after the race.
The sporting damage followed: seventh on the grid, then straight off on the opening lap at the final banked corner on a still-damp track. Big hit into the barriers, red flag, race over.
“Yes, I was very ill. Looking back, it really shows even more how badly affected I was in Zandvoort,” he admitted. “Even after Zandvoort, for a few days, I still wasn’t right.”
On the crash itself, the Dutchman was keen to praise the safety setup. “I felt fine in terms of the impact, because it was the SAFER barrier. It was the first time I had done that and gone to say hello to it. It really did its job well.”
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A wind tunnel from the Second World War
The real talking point in his press conference was elsewhere. Red Bull confirmed its new wind tunnel will not be up and running until the start of the 2027 season, not by the end of this year as hoped. So the team will keep developing its car using a facility that dates back to the Second World War.
In a sport where the link between wind-tunnel data and what actually happens on track can make or break a car, that delay matters.
“It’s a tunnel that dates back to the Second World War. It’s a shame not to have the new wind tunnel for the end of the season so you can compare the data between the old one and the new one,” Verstappen said.
He went further. “The limits of the current facility are definitely one of the major fundamental issues with our F1 and its development. Absolutely.”
Keeping it real for Monza, and no GT run in October
As for his chances this weekend, the Red Bull driver is making no promises. “You have to be realistic about where we are right now as a team and about our pace. It’s just about trying to have a good weekend.”
Energy management, a key theme under the 2026 rules, is a particular concern for him at a circuit as quick as Monza.
Verstappen also ruled out a GT3 cameo in Portimao in October. “At the moment, no, I don’t think I’ll race. That would give me seven straight weeks of racing with F1.” His team will have to find two stand-ins, with a clash with WEC leaving the outfit short of several drivers.
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