Max Verstappen openly displayed his frustration on Saturday, stating some members at Red Bull need to "wake up" due to the team's diminishing results.
The Dutch driver forcefully expressed his annoyance by pounding his fists on the steering wheel as both McLarens, which remained the same since Silverstone, outperformed his significantly updated car during the Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying.
"That is also why I am frustrated," he conveyed to De Telegraaf in a candid discussion. "I had hoped that it (the update) would have given us more."
"I know now that, this way, it will be twelve long races."
Despite team advisor Dr. Helmut Marko's comments on Friday night that the revamped Red Bull car exhibited better performance during long runs compared to McLaren's quick single laps, Verstappen was not convinced.
"On Friday I already thought it wasn't optimal, so maybe we have a different opinion about that," the three-time world champion remarked.
"Not everyone understands the situation, I think. With me, they know that I don't make excuses. Maybe not everyone is on the same wavelength. I think some people might need to wake up a little bit."
His statements align with recent reports from Dutch media highlighting ongoing internal conflicts within the team. Red Bull has reportedly recently amended Marko's contract to ensure that the veteran's potential departure wouldn't lead to Verstappen's exit.
Newly appointed CEO Oliver Mintzlaff reportedly managed to persuade Marko to accept this change, fostering better relationships within the team, particularly between Christian Horner and Verstappen's father.
This arrangement appears to solidify Verstappen's stay at Red Bull at least until 2025.
"I don't think I did my laps badly," Verstappen stated when questioned about his qualifying rounds in Hungary by broadcaster Viaplay. "It's just that the car is not good enough. It's too sensitive and it's too slow."
"Of course it's not all bad," Verstappen added, "but if you want to become world champion, it has to go better than this."
