Schumacher says Verstappen looked tense after difficult Austin weekend

Ralf Schumacher said he noticed tension building for Max Verstappen during the Austin weekend: the Dutchman's usual ease was missing, and he smiled less than usual. Speaking on the Backstage Boxengasse podcast after the race, Schumacher said Verstappen was dissatisfied with how the weekend had gone.

Qualifying had offered promise: Verstappen set the second-fastest time, with teammate Isack Hadjar third. The race proved tougher. Verstappen struggled in dirty air on a two-stop strategy, and Charles Leclerc was ahead of him in the closing stages. Verstappen made his displeasure with the strategy clear after the race.

Schumacher also said Verstappen had twice promised to do an interview but was too busy to follow through. Schumacher said he understood and did not consider the missed interview a problem.

Schumacher linked the RB22's difficult handling to Red Bull's trial of slightly modified brake discs, which were meant to improve consistency. He said the experiment appeared unsuccessful and that both drivers had struggled.

Even so, Schumacher said Verstappen praised the team after the race, saying Red Bull had made the best of what was possible and the result was acceptable.