After the Italian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen was more than pessimistic about the rest of the season, believing that both championships, drivers’ and constructors’, were now under threat and that it was no longer possible for the Austrian team to target both.
Sixth at Monza, and only seventh on the grid after a Q3 which revealed the RB20’s major balance problems, Verstappen made a sad assessment of the last 12 months of his team’s development. “Last year we had a great car, the most dominant of all time, and we turned it into a monster”he said, after claiming it was unrealistic to think he could now maintain his lead for the title.
After the Zandvoort round, which ended with a crushing victory for Lando Norris, Christian Horner and Max Verstappen had assured that it was still too early to worry. However, the trend was quickly reversed last weekend. The Red Bull team boss spoke after Monza, explaining that the team found itself in a “vicious circle”solving problems in one area of the car opening the door to others in another area.
“We have a disconnect in the balance, which just doesn’t work”he explained. “As soon as you find yourself in this situation, you are harder on the tires. You end up compensating, you shift the balance, you solve one problem and create another. So you find yourself in a vicious circle.”
Photo de: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
At Monza, Red Bull was the only team not to use a wing specific to the characteristics of the Lombardy track. While Sergio Perez said after qualifying that this element had harmed Red Bull, Christian Horner assured that it was not really a determining factor in the difficulties encountered.
“I think it’s more about balance.”he said. “It’s 100% balance. We don’t have a connection between the front and the rear. Max can’t lean on the rear going into the corner, nor can Sergio. And we end up compensating for that. Then we create understeer. And it’s such a fine line.”
“You can see it in qualifying. With rubber and balanced tyres we could do a 1’19”6 which was the best times. Then we put on two new sets of tyres, the balance is completely broken and we are four and a half tenths slower.”
Photo de: Red Bull Content Pool
Since the championship resumed after the summer break, Red Bull has been trying to understand the overall difficulties of its single-seater. After several tests, particularly at the floor level, no answer has yet been found. With the rise of McLaren, now at the top of the grid, Red Bull must find a quick solution.
“With the pace we had [en Italie]both titles will certainly be threatened”he said. “We need to turn things around very quickly. I think this circuit has highlighted the gaps we have in the car compared to last year. I think we have a very clear problem, which was highlighted this weekend, that we know we have to get to grips with and solve, otherwise we will put ourselves under enormous pressure.”
In F1, development times can take some time, and Red Bull is now counting on this. While the gap in the drivers’ standings between Verstappen and Norris is still 62 points, the gap in the constructors’ standings is just eight and the championship lead could change as early as the next round in Azerbaijan.
“I think the most important thing is to understand the problem”Horner added. “Then I think there are some fixes that can be made. They may not solve the whole problem, but they will address part of it. We now have a two-week window before Baku and Singapore, and then we have another mini break where we can work between Singapore and Austin. The time we have today is crucial.”
