2026 United States GP: Red Bull hit by Austin issues

Red Bull’s Austin weekend was affected by track bumps, a poor start for Isack Hadjar and radio trouble for Max Verstappen, as outlets reported.

Red Bull’s weekend at the 2026 United States Grand Prix was affected by several separate issues in Austin. Formula1.com reported that Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar were left frustrated after problems during the event, while BBC Sport reported Verstappen had already criticised the Circuit of the Americas bumps before the race weekend, calling them unacceptable and out of control.

During the Grand Prix, Motorsport.com reported Verstappen finished third after radio problems that he described as a disaster. Verstappen arrived in Austin fourth in the 2026 drivers’ championship on 236 points; the Dutch driver has 71 wins and 51 pole positions from 242 starts.

Hadjar’s race was also compromised at the start. Motorsport.com and RaceFans reported that he lost ground after a poor launch from third on the grid, and Motorsport.com added that he later called for a clutch redesign. Hadjar went into the weekend eighth in the standings on 105 points, with one podium from 33 Formula 1 starts.