Red Bull’s downward spiral seems to have no end. The team, once dominating the circuit, is struggling with fundamental setup issues. After a podium finish in the Dutch GP, the RBR team expected a solid comeback during the Monza week. However, things went awry as both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez failed to enter the top five. As a result, the McLaren team withered down the points table lead and is now breathing on the Austrian outfit’s shoulders.
The RBR chief has claimed technical issues date back to the 2023 glory days. However, despite identifying the problems, the technical crew appears clueless. Further, the squad is sinking deep into the puddle with no imminent solutions. Meanwhile, the RBR’s strategy of not using Monza-specific rear wings is criticized. Helmut Marko claimed the Italian GP slump had nothing to do with the rear wing setup.
Did Red Bull Miss A Trick By Not Bringing ‘Monza-specific’ Wings?
During an interaction with motorsport.com, Helmut Marko stated that the team felt ‘powerless’ during the Italian GP. He finds this slump inevitable, as no past data is helping the team. He urged the team to find a solution quickly, as the RB20 is now underperforming even in favorable hot-weather conditions. Moreover, Marko asserted that excessive degradation forced the team to opt for a two-stop strategy as the tyres might have ‘blown’ if the drivers continued.
When asked about Charles Leclerc, he expressed delight at Montegasque’s victory on his team’s home ground. However, Marko feels Ferrari’s brave one-stop strategy helped Leclerc seal the win. Furthe, when questioned about a circuit-specific rear wing, Marko dismissed the idea, stating it wouldn’t have made any difference. He explained that a car with a smaller rear wing would have been less competitive on a tricky Monza track. It was due to the tyre degradation, and a small wing would have aggravated the problem. The key to breaking this vicious cycle is improving RB20’s balance, as Marko feels new upgrades won’t have an impact. Thus, he advised the team to revisit the old manuals and understand the underlying issue of the F1 car.
Max Verstappen Emphasizes’ Finding Form’ As Top Priority
During a media interaction ahead of the Baku showdown, Max Verstappen emphasized his top priority is to regain form. He opened up about a factory visit ahead of the weekend race. The Dutchman sat in the simulator to squeeze out valuable data ahead of the Azerbaijan and Singapore GP.
He accepted the Monza misery as a setback for the team, but the heads are high in the Milton Keynes-based outfit. Thus, the technical crew is trying to fix the issues. Further, talking about the Baku circuit, Verstappen believes it to be an exciting challenge. The RBR starlet is looking forward to racing on the city circuit, hoping for a better result.