Verstappen concerned about “implications” of Montreal F1 engine issue

The Dutchman was forced out of FP2 in Montreal after an issue with the energy recovery system on his Red Bull car early in the session.

Although the lack of running was not ideal when there was only limited opportunity for clear laps thanks to the weather, Verstappen said that chasing answers for what happened – and especially what the potential consequences could be – was his biggest concern.

Speaking about his day, Verstappen said: “Unfortunately [in] FP2 not many laps for me. There was a suspected electrical issue, so they told me to box, and they’re investigating now.

“It’s not ideal. I mean, I would have liked to drive more laps and some other people had a few more laps in the dry, a few more laps now in the wet. So, it’s definitely not how I would have liked to get on in FP2.

“But I think it’s more important to just figure out what actually happened and what kind of implications that will have for this weekend or the rest of the year.”

Speaking about the situation for Verstappen, Red Bull motorsport director Helmut Marko said: “The problem is on the engine side.

“We have to take the engine out now to find the exact reason, but it is on the electric part of the engine.”

Red Bull seemed far from concerned about the lack of track time seriously compromising Verstappen’s weekend though.

Marko added: “Of course, it’s annoying because the first session was already mostly wet and without conclusions, but for the set-up let’s hope that [Saturday] is dry during that final practice session.

“If we get one complete dry session then it doesn’t hurt so much.”

The mixed conditions in Montreal on Friday also meant that Red Bull did not get a proper understanding of how much progress it has made in addressing the kerb-riding problems that have held it back recently.

Marko added: “We have found some problems after Monaco, and I hope that we can make steps with the new set-up for this weekend. I mean, when Max was out on track, he set purple times in sector two, so that looks promising.”