Not all of the many frustrations in Max Verstappen’s disastrous Chinese Grand Prix were obvious.
The Red Bull driver made a poor start and lost more ground when he pitted shortly before the Safety Car was deployed. He retired before the end of the race with a technical problem.
On top of that, a communications error meant he spent much of the race unnecessarily reducing his pace in one corner. It took until the 35th lap of the 56-lap race for Verstappen to realise he had been slowing more than he needed to for turn six.
To maximise the performance of Formula 1’s new power units, teams instruct drivers to lift-and-coast into many corners, especially those approached at high speeds. In Shanghai, Verstappen was backing off significantly into turns one and 14, and was told to increase his lifting there early in the race.
Verstappen also began the race lifting into turn six. However he discovered this wasn’t necessary when his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase advised him he was losing time there to fifth-placed Oliver Bearman ahead.
When Verstappen replied by telling Lambiase to “check my onboard”, his race engineer responded: “I am supposed to be on your side Max, trying to give you some help and some information, nothing further mate. That’s it.”
Verstappen then asked whether he needed to reduce his pace at turn six and was told he didn’t. After pointing out someone should have alerted him to the lost pace sooner, Verstappen checked if he still needed to back off at turns one and 14. Lambiase told him he did.
His race only lasted seven more laps from then on, during which time he made little progress on catching Bearman. Verstappen retired with 12 laps to go, already 47 seconds behind eventual winner Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
| Lap: 18/56 VER: 1’37.350 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Engine 14 position one when you can Max, when you can. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 19/56 VER: 1’39.035 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | Mate, my fucking boost button. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 23/56 VER: 1’38.039 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | So increase your lift-off, just try and get that battery up, mate. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 25/56 VER: 1’37.869 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | So this is my normal deployment? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | That’s the deployment for no overtake mode. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 26/56 VER: 1’37.380 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Okay so Bearman last lap, 37.6. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Max can we increase the lift-off by around 50m turn 14 and turn one, please. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 27/56 VER: 1’37.645 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Easy on the brake pedal as well in those two corners. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 28/56 VER: 1’37.368 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Bearman 37.4. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | The steering wheel feels heavier and heavier. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 33/56 VER: 1’37.381 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Reduce tyre management, please, Max, turn seven and turn eight. Reduce tyre management. Giving away a second now to the leaders just in those three corners. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | In seven and eight, one second? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | No, it’s the sector one second, but it’s predominantly those three corners. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 34/56 VER: 1’37.410 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Gasly 37.1 behind. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | Yeah my tyres aren’t there, I just can’t manage it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Approaching turn 14 So our main loss to car ahead and car behind is actually braking and exit of turn six. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | Well you can check my onboard. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 35/56 VER: 1’37.490 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | I am supposed to be on your side Max, trying to give you some help and some information, nothing further mate. That’s it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | Do I even need to lift in six or not? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Lift not required turn six. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | Doing half the race lifting, why no one tells me? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 37/56 VER: 1’37.150 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Verstappen | I still need to lift in one and 14? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lambiase | Yes please, thank you. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
Miss nothing from RaceFans
Get a daily email with all our latest stories – and nothing else. No marketing, no ads. Sign up here:
2026 Chinese Grand Prix
Browse all 2026 Chinese Grand Prix articles
