The curse that has plagued the Silver Arrows until now has somehow engulfed Red Bull, the defending champion. The team has been embroiled in strife for the past three months, starting with a chaotic internal power struggle. Furthermore, their performance has been limited by an unknown issue since others have unexpectedly emerged quicker than the RBR group.
To make matters worse, Max Verstappen was given a ten-place grid penalty for the Belgian Grand Prix. The Dutchman has not won a race in the past four Grand Prix. This penalty damaged his grip on the world championship as McLaren and Ferrari continued progressing. However, things could go downhill as Red Bull chief signaled towards yet another power unit penalty for the triple champion.
“Okay At The Moment,” Horner’s Skepticism Raises PU Penalty Concerns
A string of issues has entangled the Red Bull, as they gasp for air of victory. Four races have occurred since a Red Bull F1 vehicle took the checkered flag. Further, the Milton Keynes-based outfit seems to have run out of luck, as nothing is going their way. While the team hoped for a strong comeback on a low-drag Spa circuit, the PU grid penalty ruined the race.
Despite the RB20 being suitable for a low-drag circuit, several events derailed its ambitions. Sergio Perez started the race from P2 but was tangled amid RB20’s balancing issues, ending his race at P7. At the same time, the starlet Max Verstappen had a war to win. Since the Dutchman breached the set limit for power units, he was rewarded a ten-grid place penalty. Thus, despite getting a pole, he started at P11, finishing ahead of his teammate. This further decreases the gap between Red Bull and McLaren, which is now in the 40s.
However, the RBR squad has a bigger concern to tackle. The technical crew needs to be mindful of the power unit usage. The Red Bull chief was asked about a potential PU penalty awaiting his star driver. The British executive said it all depends on Verstappen and the crew. It won’t be an issue if they could manage the engine components carefully. Furthermore, Horner remains doubtful but maintains that the Dutchman is unlikely to face any additional penalties.
Max Verstappen Agitated With The Unresponsive RB20
Max Verstappen has highlighted the car’s performance as the team’s primary concern. He emphasized that the main focus should be addressing issues related to the car, particularly the tire life. Despite a generally positive weekend for Sergio Perez, Verstappen pointed out that the race revealed ongoing tire difficulties. He believes improving the car’s handling and tire management should be the team’s top priority.