Verstappen says Red Bull’s clutch and engine braking varied by corner in Brazil

Max Verstappen said the clutch and engine braking in his Red Bull behaved differently from corner to corner, explaining his joking radio complaint on Friday in Brazil. Red Bull decided to change the engine after the session, bringing a grid penalty.

In a later interview with Viaplay, Verstappen described two problems. On some downshifts, he said, the clutch gave enough slip; in the next corner, the rear felt as if it locked. When he came off the brake entering a turn, he said, the engine pushed on; in another corner, it felt like a handbrake.

Verstappen said he had told the team that the inconsistent responses overrode all other changes to the car and made it extremely difficult to drive.