"Pull a Brazil 2024": F1 fans react as Max Verstappen reflects on 'tough qualifying' in Austria

Max Verstappen endured a frustrating outing in qualifying for the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix, as the home hero for Red Bull could only manage P7 on the grid. It is his joint-worst Saturday result of the season, prompting fans to rally behind him.

Verstappen was chasing a record-extending fifth consecutive pole at the Red Bull Ring. But he saw his Q3 flying lap abandoned due to a yellow flag caused by Pierre Gasly's spin on the final corner, as Lando Norris surged to pole.

Despite the result, Verstappen remained positive and wrote on X:

"Tough qualifying, we struggled with the balance of the car. Thank you all for the amazing support around the track 🟠. See you on race day.💪"

The post sparked an emotional wave of fan reactions, many of which drew inspiration from a familiar chapter in Max Verstappen's legend. One top comment summed it up:

"pull a Brazil 2024 my goat"

lia⁷

@storyofpjm

LINK

pull a brazil 2024 my goat

Verstappen produced one of the most iconic races of his career in Sao Paulo last year when he ran through the field, from P17 on the grid to victory. He ran 16 fastest laps in the process, showcasing tire management and execution. And as the No. 1 Red Bull driver finds himself needing a recovery drive at his team's home race, fans are hoping history repeats itself.

Others echoed similar expectations:

"P7 to podium incoming," wrote a fan.

AJAX

@ajaxsports18

LINK

P7 to podium incoming.

"Tomorrow Max podium, I choose to believe, idc," wrote a fan.

"That's all we could do. Always so proud of you! we keep pushing tomorrow," added another.

"Keep pushing Max! This track is yours and you’ll get em tomorrow," another fan wrote.

Verstappen was at a loss for words after his run, frustrated by the RB21's inconsistency and the disjointed Q3. However, he knows well that the Red Bull Ring allows overtaking, especially with his aggressive race craft. So he remains very much in the hunt at Spielberg.

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McLaren's dominance highlights Max Verstappen's RB21 vulnerabilities

Max Verstappen (1) returns to the garage during the F1 Grand Prix of Austria qualifying at Red Bull Ring. Source: Getty

Max Verstappen heads into the Austrian Grand Prix with more questions than answers following a rare off-day in qualifying. The four-time champion, who had shown decent pace in practice, ended up with his worst qualifying result of the 2025 season.

George Russell led FP1 for Mercedes, but as the Austrian heat increased, it was McLaren that set the benchmark. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri looked quick throughout Friday, with Norris topping FP2 under gathering clouds. Max Verstappen held steady in the top three through practice, but the real test came on Saturday.

Come qualifying, Verstappen's issues worsened. He set a time of 1:05.106 in Q1, then improved to 1:04.836 in Q2. But as Q3 unfolded, the RB21's balance deteriorated, and Verstappen had to abort his final flying lap with a 1:04.929. Meanwhile, Lando Norris clinched pole with a 1:03.971s run ahead of Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri.

The Dutchman didn't mince words post-session (via F1):

"Everything fell apart a bit. Every corner was a bit of a struggle, to be honest. No balance, no front, no rear in different places of the corner, so that made it very difficult to get in a rhythm and a bit of a benchmark… Even with the final lap, I had a yellow so I had to abort. It was still not even close to pole, so that was quite a painful qualifying for us."

Yuki Tsunoda shared Verstappen's struggles, and was out in Q1 despite being only two-tenths off his teammate. The Saturday runs showed an inconsistency in the RB21's behavior, highlighting ongoing issues with its chassis dynamics and setup optimization.

Max Verstappen from the Netherlands, from the Oracle Red Bull Racing team, drives around the Red Bull Ring. Source: Getty

For Verstappen and Tsunoda, a stronger Sunday setup is critical. For McLaren, it's a golden opportunity to increase the gap to Red Bull in both championships. But if history is any indication, dismissing Max Verstappen, with the support of the orange army, might be premature.