The Red Bull team has failed to win a race since the last three weekends. The team that won every single race earlier is in a slight slump. While there is no significant technical concern with the RB20, rivals are proving too good for the Milton Keynes-based outfit. Thus, the entire crew is frustrated as the world title keeps slipping away.
Moreover, the Belgian GP is the perfect opportunity for the team to return to winning ways. Although Verstappen would endure a 10-grid penalty, the Spa circuit is famous for overtaking. Thus, if the Dutchman could perform well during the qualifying, he might have an outside chance. However, the FP sessions on Friday brought more frustration and questions for the squad. Helmut Marko has reflected on the practice sessions and was visibly disappointed.
Red Bull’s Ongoing Slump Leaves Marko Frustrated During Press Interaction
The FP1 and FP2 sessions on Friday created a new image for the Red Bull team. While Verstappen set the time in the first session, he was tackled by the McLaren duo in the second leg. Thus, the team is still struggling to fight with the upsurging Papay squad. Sergio Perez was also restricted by RB20’s poor balance, and he was unable to gather pace. While Max Verstappen was straightforward with his statements, hoping for improvements, Senior Advisor Helmut Marko was dissatisfied.
Speaking to the media as he hurried to Red Bull’s paddock headquarters, Helmut Marko expressed frustration over the team’s performance. He revealed that the setup changes made from the morning session seemed to have worsened their performance, indicating that the original setup might have been more effective. Marko admitted that despite a promising start to the practice, he is not optimistic about Verstappen’s chances of contending for victory, even if he secures pole position, given the challenges of starting from 11th place in the race.
The significant performance gap between Verstappen and Sergio Perez in practice was evident. Marko attributed this discrepancy to their use of different setups, making direct comparisons difficult at this stage. Despite these challenges, Marko remains hopeful. He believes that Red Bull could challenge McLaren with successful adjustments before Saturday’s sessions. He concluded that finding the right balance in the car is crucial, and while the competition will be close, Red Bull remains in the hunt.
Sergio Perez Points Out Problem On McLaren’s MCL38 During The FP2
Just 20 minutes into the FP2 session, Sergio Perez noticed a problem with Lando Norris’s MCL38. As heard on the Mexican driver’s radio, he pointed out excessive grounding in Norris’s car. McLaren is currently the Bulls’ biggest headache, giving them a tough fight every weekend.