Red Bull faces challenges at Silverstone, losing ground in slow corners.
- Helmut Marko admits RB20 underperforms in the first sector against Norris.
- Lando Norris outperforms the competition, leading practice at Silverstone.
- Despite a speedy start, Red Bull’s performance wavers in slow sections.
- Helmut Marko emphasizes the need for balance between fast and slow turns.
Red Bull Racing encounters difficulties on the Silverstone track, primarily in the slow corners. Helmut Marko has openly acknowledged that the RB20 is “not at the level” needed to compete with the likes of Lando Norris, who showed impressive performance during the British Grand Prix practice sessions.
In the opening day of action at Silverstone, Lando Norris impressed by topping both practice sessions, achieving a significant 0.331-second advantage over his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri in FP2. While Sergio Perez managed to secure third in the second session, Max Verstappen could only reach fourth and seventh in FP1 and FP2, respectively.
One of Verstappen’s flying laps in FP2 was cut short when he ran off the track at the high-speed Maggotts/Becketts/Chapel section. Following FP2, Marko admitted to Austrian outlet ORF that the team lagged behind Norris, citing several reasons for the challenging sessions.
Marko highlighted the first sector’s slow-speed turns as a particular weakness, with Red Bull losing a considerable 0.3s to Norris in this area alone. He stated, “We lose too much in the slow curves, especially in sector 1, where we lose almost three tenths.” This issue persisted despite adjustments for fuel and tires.
Marko explained that, although their long-run performance remained decent, it still fell short compared to Norris. Red Bull now faces the task of finding the “right balance” between maintaining their strength in faster curves while improving their pace in slower sections.
The emphasis on high-speed performance, which served them well in the previous Austrian Grand Prix, where Verstappen had a notable speed advantage, contrasts with the current challenges faced at Silverstone. Red Bull must navigate these issues to stay competitive amidst the fierce track rivals.
Finding the ideal balance will be crucial for Red Bull’s success at upcoming races.
