Max Verstappen says he could finish the 2026 season without a single win – a stark contrast to last year’s podium haul.
Jeddah’s Street Circuit Keeps the Pressure On
The new Madrid‑style street track, dubbed the Madring, has been likened by drivers to Jeddah’s high‑speed museum of bends and barriers. The 19 red flags seen during the F3 practice highlighted its unforgiving layout.
“When you have a tiny moment, it can result in a crash,” Verstappen noted after a brief interview on the weekend. “You just have to deal with it and try to figure out the margins.”
F1 pundit James Vowles, Williams team principal, classified the circuit a “car killer” and warned that drivers must keep the limits in check.
Blind Corners and Chicanes Test Driver Skill
Red Bull reserve driver Liam Lawson highlighted how the “walls just follow the track,” making rapid blind‑corner passages similar to Jeddah. “They’re very blind in many places,” he said, noting the difference between the two circuits but acknowledging shared challenges.
The complex chicane near Turns 5 and 6 is a prime culprit. Lawson described the kerb bounce that can send a car into the wall, arguing that “trying to be accurate through a section like that is quite tough.”
Power Unit Constraints: No Monaco‑Style Freedom
Lawson also warned that the 2026 power units will limit outright speed, especially on street circuits. “It won’t be like Monaco where you can push flat out,” he said. “But it’s somewhere between Monza and a life‑saving max.”
Verstappen admitted that despite feeling fast, results have not matched expectations: “If I’m not winning races, does that make me a bad driver?” He shrugged, saying the difference lies in the track’s difficulty rather than personal skill.
Track Safety: A Pre‑Race Debate
While the Red Bull camp focused on strategy, safety advocates pointed to the high number of incidents in the F3 test. “You can’t ignore the dangers of the fencing and blind corners,” Vowles warned.
Verstappen compared the Madring to Jeddah, describing it as “close enough to be a real test.” “You feel the danger at any moment, even if it’s a low‑speed corner,” he explained.
Looking Forward: A Season of Uncertainty
Verstappen’s candid admission that he might finish the season winless injects doubt into the Red Bull program. The Dutchman’s statement follows a season where he consistently reached the podium after an early‑season dip.
With the power unit era tightening margins and a street circuit that rewards precision over pure speed, the 2026 calendar might deliver a starkly different championship narrative than the one the world witnessed in 2025.
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