Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar reported radio failures and poor starts after the United States Grand Prix. Verstappen struggled to hear instructions while reporting engine-braking problems, and Hadjar said missed messages left him on the wrong engine map. Team principal Laurent Mekies acknowledged the recurring communication fault and said larger launch-performance hardware changes would require winter work.
Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar reported communication failures after the United States Grand Prix in Austin. Verstappen struggled to hear his engineer while trying to report an engine-braking problem. The radio trouble had affected the team in Singapore. The interruptions left the drivers struggling to exchange information with the pit wall while managing their cars.[1], [2]
Hadjar said poor radio reception meant he left the pits using the wrong engine map. He estimated that this cost about a second per lap on hard tyres. That estimate was the driver’s assessment of the loss. Both drivers also made poor starts. Hadjar said the clutch delivered more than expected despite his following the procedure, and called for a less fragile design.[1]
Team principal Laurent Mekies acknowledged frustration over radio problems at a second consecutive race and said the team wanted a quick fix. He described starts as a more complex problem involving the engine, gearbox and clutch. Red Bull had reduced its deficit, he said, but significant design and hardware changes required winter work. He did not expect the team to set the standard for launches before the season ended.[1]
