Red Bull chiefs hold crunch talks on Max Verstappen's private jet after Chinese Grand Prix nightmare

The high-level meeting took place hours after Verstappen was forced to retire from the race due to a technical failure.

While the precise nature of their conversations remains unknown, the Austrian squad clearly has plenty to address given their current difficulties.

Verstappen endured a torrid weekend in China, battling persistent grip and balance problems with his RB22 throughout the event.

The Dutchman also experienced difficulties getting off the line cleanly during race starts.

His qualifying performance saw him finish nearly a full second adrift of the fastest lap time, highlighting the extent of the car's struggles.

Sprint qualifying proved even more concerning, with Verstappen trailing the pace-setter by a substantial 1.7 seconds.

The weekend went from bad to worse when a technical issue ended his race prematurely, compounding what had already been a deeply frustrating few days for the reigning champion.

Mekies notably withdrew from his scheduled post-race media session, with the team citing the need to catch his flight as the reason.

However, the Frenchman boarded Verstappen's aircraft several hours after the grand prix concluded, casting doubt on whether time constraints were genuinely the issue.

Given that the private jet would presumably have waited for the team boss, the urgency of his departure appears questionable.

Moving the media briefing to an earlier slot could have offered an alternative solution, yet this option was not pursued.

Despite Red Bull releasing a statement containing positive remarks from Mekies, the team evidently finds itself in a difficult position.

Verstappen did not hold back in his assessment of the current Formula 1 rulebook, launching a scathing attack on the sport's direction.

"For me, it's a joke," the Dutchman declared to reporters, describing the new regulations as "fundamentally flawed."

Despite his championship hopes already under threat, Verstappen insisted his frustration stemmed from broader concerns about the sport itself.

"It's not about being upset at where I am, because I'm actually fighting even more now," he explained. "I would say the same if I was winning races, because I care about the racing product."

The Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka in just under two weeks will reveal whether Red Bull can find solutions to their current woes.