Broadcaster Naomi Schiff has warned that Red Bull’s narrow set-up window could be compromising Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar’s 2026 Formula 1 campaigns. At the United States Grand Prix, both drivers’ races were derailed in the opening stages. Hadjar suffered a launch issue that prompted him to demand a clutch redesign, while Verstappen lacked electrical deployment out of Turn 1, which instantly dropped him into a race-long battle with the Ferraris.
Wider Issues for Milton Keynes Outfit
Speaking on the Up To Speed podcast, Schiff argued that the problems at the start of the race are indicative of wider issues for the Milton Keynes outfit. “It was such a shame that they both didn’t get off the line there because it was a battle we were looking forward to between Max and Kimi, but then also Isack being in there could have really caused a little bit of an upset and potentially, who knows, clinched his first victory in Formula 1,” Schiff said, as reported by Motorsport.com.
“But that Red Bull this whole weekend, it just feels like there’s, besides the clutch, there’s a lot that needs to be looked at. It feels like there’s really not a very big operational window that works with that car, and that it’s really on a knife’s edge, as it has been for a number of years now,” Schiff added.
Schiff noted that the event turned into a damage limitation race from the beginning, with Verstappen acknowledging at the end that their initial strategy call may have been incorrect. Team radio captured Verstappen expressing strong frustration about being sent back out into dirty air and the team failing to optimize their strategy. She concluded that the car currently appears difficult to drive for both competitors.
