McLaren’s performance surge acted as a much needed reality check for Red Bull Racing who probably got too comfortable at the top. After winning 22 of the 23 races held in 2023, the defending champions are struggling to keep up with McLaren and even Ferrari to some extent due to variable issue with RB20.
While suspension flexibility was deemed the root cause of RB20’s shortcomings, Red Bull insisted that floor configuration is restricting the overall aerodynamics performance of the machinery. Hence, for the Silverstone weekend, the drink based outfit introduced minimal, yet important upgrades which appear to be a double edged sword.
Red Bull Experiments With Lower Ride Height In Silverstone!
Red Bull Racing have been forced to take swift and extreme measures to stay put in the ongoing championship fight with Ferrari and McLaren. For the British Grand Prix, the team introduced track-specific upgrades to suit the fast-moving Silverstone track. As per the two modifications submitted by the drink-based outfit, RB20’s floor height has been reprofiled to the lower anti-intrusion cone to create added volume below the Venturi channels. Moreover, a different angle has been given to the trailing edge of the lower flow diverters. These upgrades would serve the same purpose of increasing the aerodynamic performance of the RB20. And on a circuit of Silverstone with rapid changes, these upgrades could result in maximum effectiveness.
However, Red Bull is trying to fix the bullet hole with a bandage. While the lower ride height set-up might work in Silverstone, on tracks where extreme setups are denied in terms of ride heights, RB will lose a lot of pace. Ferrari are the living example of the same. Tifosi introduced a similar upgrade package in Barcelona and has since witnessed a downward trend as European circuits haven’t allowed them to experiment with extreme setups. Hence, the drink-based outfit appears to be risking its pace for the rest of the year just to secure better results in Silverstone. Also, after FP1 and FP2, the team admitted that they were behind McLaren in terms of pace in both corners and straights. And with rain adding spice to the British Grand Prix weekend, the Milton Keynes-based outfit will undoubtedly begin the qualifying session and main race on Sunday on the backfoot.
Helmut Marko Confirms Max Verstappen Not At Lando Norris’ Level In Silverstone
As expected, Red Bull Racing has compromised its pace while fixing the floor height issue. After free practice sessions on Friday, Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko confirmed that Max Verstappen lost a lot of pace, close to three-tenths, on corners, especially in sector one of the Silverstone circuit.
Not only that, Helmut Marko argued that Red Bull are not too good and quick either on the straights. “We are still good, but not at the level of Norris. So we still have a lot to put right here,” Marko said after Friday sessions. Additionally, Marko is also wary of the weather conditions as rain could further dampen their weekend at Silverstone.
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