The Red Bull chariot, which recently returned to winning form, was derailed again. This time, it was the iconic Mercedes driver, Lewis Hamilton. The rivalry between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton kicked off in 2021. While Verstappen won that race, the decision was deemed controversial.
However, after a couple of seasons, the two mega stars locked horns again in Hamilton’s backyard. This time, the result favored the Briton, who showcased his excellent driving skills, which had been missing until now. The Red Bull personnel reflected on this ‘weird outing,” explaining the reasons for the defeat.
Hamilton’s Mastery At Play As He Settles The Score with Red Bull
After the British GP, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner described the event as “a very weird race.” He elaborated on the unpredictability of the cars’ performance, specifically noting the fluctuating pace of the Mercedes. Horner remarked that if anyone could understand the varying speed of the Mercedes, they would be doing quite well, as the car’s performance seemed to change frequently.
Horner highlighted that Mercedes typically performed well in cooler conditions and appeared to have control for much of the race. However, as the rain began, Lewis Hamilton’s performance improved significantly. At the same time, McLaren’s car also showed a surge in performance, overtaking both Red Bull and Mercedes. The race dynamics kept shifting with the changing weather conditions. Despite usually excelling in such conditions, Max Verstappen struggled initially. Horner pointed out that as the circuit began to dry, Red Bull’s pace improved dramatically, at times outpacing Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris by six to seven-tenths of a second per lap.
Horner attributed these fluctuations primarily to the tires. He explained that tire performance is crucial and varies with different conditions, such as temperature and weather changes. Different cars manage their tires differently, and this variability was particularly evident as the track conditions transitioned from damp to wet and back to dry. According to Horner, this was a critical factor in the race’s unpredictable nature.
Red Bull Advisor Depicts The Reason For Defeat
In an interview with Sky Deutschland, Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s advisor, provided further insights into the team’s performance. He explained that the team lost the race in the first stint due to significant graining on Max Verstappen’s medium tires. This issue compromised Verstappen’s performance, particularly on a wet circuit, typically his strong suit.
Moreover, Marko noted that the tires simply didn’t work as expected. Despite this, he praised the team for their pit stops and strategy, including the decision to switch to hard tires in the final stint, executed flawlessly.