Red Bull Racing engineers have been forced to work overtime at Milton Keynes this year as rivals McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari have achieved the improbable goal of closing the gap. Max Verstappen isn’t winning as he used to in 2023, and the RB20’s lack of pace has added to his frustration.
The profound frustration was visible at the Hungarian Grand Prix as Max Verstappen went on an unhinged rant on radio. Notably, Red Bull introduced its biggest upgrade of the season in Budapest with a view to keep the rivals at bay. However, coming into Spa, the key component of the significant upgrade package has disappeared.
Red Bull Removes New Engine Cover In Spa To Suit Track Requirements
Red Bull Racing left the fans and pundits puzzled coming into the Belgian Grand Prix as their RB20 was designed differently compared to the previous upgrade in Hungary. The defending world champions brought their biggest upgrade package of the season in Budapest, which included a reinvented engine cover that was only fitted in Max Verstappen’s RB20. However, coming into Spa, the significant engine cover was scrapped of both the cars. When asked to reveal the reason behind the surprising move, chief engineer Paul Monaghan revealed that the adjustments were consciously made to address the specific needs of Spa. The Spa circuit has high downforce requirements, and the track is expected to be on during the race.
Hence, Paul Monaghan says the adjustments with engine cover were enforced only for the Belgian Grand Prix and that the bulge could return on the forthcoming weekends. “It’s linked to temperature and the track nature. So we’ll see how it pans out here, won’t we?” Paul said. The chief added that based on simulation data, the adjustment should work in their favor. However, Paul didn’t sound much confident. That being said, the road ahead is atrocious for Red Bull Racing. McLaren remains the fastest car on the grid, and given that they have resolved their strategy issue, RB’s woes will increase. And Max Verstappen’s meltdown isn’t necessarily helping the team make the right decisions. Regardless, the drink-based outfit has a significant winning experience. While the challenges are uncharacteristic, the team has a qualified bunch of engineers capable of producing a turnaround sooner rather than later.
Red Bulls Receive Curfew Warning On Day 1 Of Spa
Meanwhile, Red Bull Racing had an internal disagreement after day 1 of the Belgian Grand Prix. Underwhelming FP sessions led to a showdown between engineers and Helmut Marko, as the senior opined that the team didn’t work hard enough. Meanwhile, the engineers were working late on the cars on Friday night to get them ready for Saturday’s qualifying session.
However, as per FIA directives, any team is allowed to work on their cars past 10 pm only twice per season without receiving a penalty. Hence, for now, Red Bull receive a curfew warning. And a third violation further into the season will result into a penalty. It remains unclear what the engineers were trying to fix by being up so late.
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