Naomi Schiff Cautions Red Bull Over Narrow F1 Car Performance After US GP Setbacks

Broadcaster Naomi Schiff has expressed concerns about the limited performance window of Red Bull's 2026 Formula 1 car, suggesting this could be affecting both Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar's campaigns.

During the United States Grand Prix, both drivers faced early race difficulties. Hadjar encountered a launch problem that led him to call for a clutch redesign, while Verstappen experienced an electrical deployment failure exiting Turn 1. This setback immediately forced him into a prolonged battle with Ferrari drivers.

On the Up To Speed podcast, Schiff linked these initial issues to broader challenges facing the Milton Keynes team. She said,

"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."

She added,

"That Red Bull this whole weekend, it just feels like there's, besides the clutch, 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 observed that from the start, the race appeared to be about minimizing damage for the team. Verstappen himself acknowledged the strategy might not have been optimal, showing frustration over radio communication about running in dirty air and the final strategy chosen.

According to Schiff, the car currently does not seem easy to drive for either driver.