Red Bull arrived in Austin looking like a team capable of taking the fight to Formula 1’s front-runners. It left with a podium, a sixth-place finish and two thoroughly unhappy drivers wondering how so much could go wrong in a single afternoon.

Max Verstappen started second at the United States Grand Prix, with teammate Isack Hadjar lining up third. The ingredients were there for a major result. Instead, Red Bull’s strategy, communication and technical execution unravelled, turning a promising weekend into a frustrating exercise in damage limitation.

Verstappen’s disappointment centred on a strategy he says changed without his knowledge. Red Bull committed him to an early second stint on soft tyres, only to discover that the compound was less competitive than expected. Rivals found stronger pace on harder tyres, while the decision effectively committed Verstappen to a two-stop race.

A slow pit stop added to the damage, leaving the Dutchman to salvage third place after a late virtual safety car helped limit the consequences. His post-race verdict was blunt: the pace, tyres, pit stop and engine braking had all fallen short.

Hadjar’s afternoon was scarcely better. A poor launch cost him positions to both Ferraris, while subsequent engine-mode difficulties compromised his race. After showing impressive speed in qualifying, the Frenchman finished sixth, frustrated that recurring problems had denied him a stronger result.

Communication has become another unwelcome theme. Verstappen criticised the team’s radio operation, joking that sign language might be cheaper, while acknowledging the issue had persisted throughout the season. His usual race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, was absent as Red Bull began rotating responsibilities, adding another complication.

Team principal Laurent Mekies acknowledged shortcomings with the starts and conceded that such errors now carry a greater cost. With the car increasingly competitive, missed opportunities are becoming harder to excuse.

Red Bull’s challenge is no longer simply finding speed. It must ensure the fundamentals work when it matters most. With Mexico next, the team has little time to turn mounting frustration into results.