Max Verstappen, after a tough Monaco Grand Prix, believes Red Bull may need a redesign of their RB20 car, but the budget cap makes this a complex issue.
Despite their dominant performance in the first two seasons under Formula 1’s ground-effect aerodynamic regulations, Red Bull is facing increased competition from teams like Ferrari and McLaren. This year, their car’s suspension has emerged as a significant weakness. While other teams struggled with porpoising and bouncing previously, Red Bull’s earlier pace advantage allowed them to avoid these issues. However, with competitors closing the gap, these problems have become more pronounced.
Verstappen highlighted the problem after experiencing severe discomfort at the Imola and Monaco circuits, resulting in a sixth-place qualifying position in Monaco. His teammate, Sergio Perez, faced even greater challenges, failing to advance beyond Q1. According to Verstappen, a redesign could be necessary to address these suspension issues, but undertaking such changes within the confines of the F1 budget cap presents a challenge.
“It takes time,” Verstappen explained to the media in Montreal. “You have to redesign things, you have to come up with different things on the car and that is work in progress. It’s been a problem since day one of the new regulations, and this is something that we know and we haven’t been able to fix it yet. I do think that after Monaco it gave us another wake-up call.”
The Dutch driver mentioned productive meetings at the factory following the Monaco race, with discussions focused on finding solutions. “I feel like there’s a bit more focus on that now, to try and improve,” he said. With rivals catching up, Red Bull can’t rely on their previous advantage anymore, making it crucial to address the kerb-riding issues. “But, yeah, it just takes a bit of time to make big changes on the car, and you can’t do that with the budget cap,” Verstappen noted.
Despite these setbacks, Verstappen remains optimistic about Red Bull’s prospects for the current season. He acknowledged that the team would need to try various approaches to find what works best. Looking ahead to the next year, he indicated that more substantial changes might be necessary but expressed confidence in the team’s ability to improve. “I still think that we can do a good job this year if everything works out,” Verstappen said.
Verstappen’s candid comments highlight the challenges Red Bull faces with their RB20 car and the budget cap constraints. However, his optimism suggests that with the right focus and innovations, Red Bull can still compete strongly this season.
Source: Planetf1
