The F1 development rivalry intensified following the Imola GP as leading teams rolled out a slew of new car components. The European leg of the Formula One season kicked off spectacularly, with Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, and Aston Martin debuting significant upgrades. Meanwhile, McLaren, fresh off their victory at the Miami GP, made targeted adjustments tailored to the circuit’s unique challenges to enhance their performance.
Despite Max Verstappen’s dominant display securing victory at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, his triumph has raised several lingering questions for the technical team. While the reigning champions have managed to stay ahead by a slim margin, the mounting pressure is evident, especially with McLaren coming close to securing back-to-back wins. The Red Bull might have reached the ceiling of car development, as the room for new upgrades looks slim.
Car Development War Gets Intense As Red Bull Hits The Ceiling
Max Verstappen faced a challenging start to the Imola weekend, struggling to impress during practice sessions. However, he rebounded impressively, securing a record eighth consecutive pole position ahead of Sunday’s race, matching Ayrton Senna’s legendary feat from 1988 to 1989. Despite intense competition from McLaren’s Lando Norris on race day, Red Bull Racing (RBR) implemented significant changes to their RB20 car’s floor and nose. These alterations included adjustments to the length of the top two front wings to enhance downstream airflow and modifications to the floor edge. Despite initial doubts about their effectiveness, these upgrades ultimately contributed to Verstappen’s victory. However, former F1 technical director Gary Anderson feels that Red Bull’s domination is near its end. Further, he explained the Imola struggles, as the RBR technical team has reached its full potential. Hence, there is limited scope for further progress at Milton Keynes as other teams quickly learn from their advancements.
On similar lines, the team faces considerable pressure despite RBR’s apparent dominance on paper. Veteran consultant Helmut Marko acknowledged McLaren’s strong performance throughout the event, praising Verstappen for overcoming challenges to secure the win. The technical team came under scrutiny following an extended weekend at Imola, where the RB20 struggled on the “front-limited” track during practice sessions. However, adjustments to the car’s balance and technical setup improved its performance, leading to the team’s fifth Grand Prix victory. Nevertheless, with McLaren narrowing the gap, RBR must reassess its strategy. The Monaco GP poses a significant challenge for the Austrian outfit, especially with their rivals growing stronger. Therefore, it will require a remarkable effort from the team to maintain their position at the top.
Red Bull ‘Conundrum’ To Continue As They Look For Verstapen’s Teammate
The conundrum at Milton Keynes is far from over, as Sergio Perez is enduring a slump. The Mexican driver had a terrible run at the Imola GP, which has him questioning his place at Red Bull. While Checo’s contract will end in 2025, Red Bull might consider other options due to his current form.
F1 pundit Andrew Benson expressed his view on the Red Bull driver’s problem. Andrew feels it would be risky for Red Bull to continue with Perez, given his shoddy performance. Therefore, he feels Carlos Sainz could be the perfect choice as he has been at the top of his mark. Further, seeing how Red Bull management reacts to this issue would be intriguing.