Red Bull Racing have freaked out over their recent dip in performance that have essentially endangered their lead in both the championships. A floor upgrade introduced in Monaco that messed up the balance of the car continues to haunt them as F1 enters the final stage of the 2024 season.
Besides focus on their own development, Red Bull are also keeping a side-eye on rivals McLaren and Mercedes, particularly on the tricky flexi wing. While their compliant with the FIA is being addressed, team principal Christian Horner hints at following the same path as rivals if FIA rules the verdict against them.
Red Bull To Adopt Flexi Wing If FIA Deems It Acceptable!
Red Bull Racing is reportedly considering adopting a controversial “flexi wing” design if the FIA clears similar designs from rival teams like Mercedes and McLaren. Notably, the drink-based outfit and Ferrari lodged a complaint against rivals, citing illegality in the front wing structure. FIA rules state that “any part of the trailing edge of any front wing flap may deflect no more than 5mm, when measured along the loading axis when a 60N point load is applied normally to the flap.” The governing body addressed the complaints and found no violation. However, to increase scrutiny, FIA has placed additional cameras over the front wing, which is mandated for all teams until the Singapore Grand Prix.
Meanwhile, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner suggests that if FIA finds the flexi wing acceptable, his team might adopt the same route as well. Small changes in those wing flaps can add performance to the lap time. Hence, the Bulls won’t hesitate to explore that option since they are desperate to defend both championships. “If it’s deemed to be acceptable, then obviously that encourages you to pursue similar solutions yourself,” Horner said. Notably, the drink-based outfit has been a pioneer in aerodynamic innovation, with the team’s outgoing technical chief, Adrian Newey, often leading the charge in terms of exploiting loopholes in the regulations. The flexi wing design could offer a significant performance advantage, especially on high-speed circuits where reducing drag is crucial. Hence, if deemed legal, the Bull’s decision to adopt the design would position them to maintain their dominance in F1.
Checo To Support Max Verstappen With Championship At Stake
With Lando Norris mitigating the gap in championship leaderboard to Max Verstappen, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner suggested that Sergio Perez is ready to follow team orders to help Max retain lead. He recalled how Checo was an ideal team player in 2021 as well and he knows his job pretty well.
However, the team’s orders will depend on where Max Verstappen stands against Lando Norris in a particular race. Notably, this decision comes after McLaren confirmed enforcing team orders on Oscar Piastri to help Norris close the gap with Max. With the championship race heating up, both Red Bull and Verstappen are under tremendous pressure to reinstate dominance in the challenging sport of F1.
Stay tuned with Sports News International for more such updates about your favorite F1 team