Max Verstappen appears downbeat after a wretched run of results. The Dutchman dominated the circuit for nearly two seasons but now desperately aches for a win. This is the first time in four years Verstappen has not seen a chequered flag in his seven outings. The winless drought has allowed the rivals to bear him down, as Lando Norris is cruising towards the WDC title. Meanwhile, McLaren has already toppled Red Bull from the Constructors Cup Standings.
The Baku race was just an extension of RBR’s misery as Verstappen struggled for pace. He was unable to match his teammate Sergio Perez and qualified behind him for the first time in 33 races. Moreover, the car’s balance didn’t improve during the main race, and Verstappen finished at P5, which could have been a P7. Amid all the chaos, Helmut Marko has revealed the date for Red Bull’s solid comeback.
Could The “Subtle Floor” Upgrade Pay Off In Austin? Helmut Marko Explains
During an interaction with Viaplay, Helmut Marko highlighted getting stuck behind Alex Albon, which ruined Verstappen’s race. Further, to make matters worse, Checo outpaced the Dutchman. Thus, Marko feels it is essential to solve the disparity between the two RB20 cars; otherwise, the Constructors Cup would slip away. Despite a sluggish race, Verstappen was the lone point scorer for RBR as Checo’s late crash ended his stint. However, Verstappen’s efforts were insufficient to stop McLaren from taking the lead. The Woking squad now holds a 20-point lead, which is expected to increase in upcoming races.
However, the Austrian executive believes RBR would limit McLaren in the forthcoming GPs. He revealed an imminent upgrade package for the Austin race, which will positively impact RB20’s performance. Thus, he wants the team to analyze the data and be patient till the U.S. GP. However, Marko remains uncertain about the Singapore race, as the Marina Bay street circuit might expose RB20’s weaknesses.
RB20’s Floor Upgrade To Boost Performance On Tracks With “Broader Corner Speed” Range
The technical team revised RB30’s tunnel geometry in its latest move to improve performance. The chief engineer, Paul Monaghan, described it as a “subtle change.” However, this subtle change was not expected to thrive on a track like Baku, as the objective of this upgrade was to widen the operating window.
Nonetheless, the upgrade will be more effective on tracks like COTA (US), Lusail (Qatar), and Interlagos (Brazil), as these have a broader corner speed range. This is why Marko believes RB20 will perform better on upcoming “flowing” tracks. The subtle change was due to a smaller time window between Monza and Baku. However, further evolution would be ready for the next Singapore race. The positive aspect of the Milton Keynes-based outfit is its understanding of the problem, which allowed it to react quickly. Thus, the team would expect more significant returns on the favorable tracks.
