Fred Vasseur has pointed out that Red Bull and Max Verstappen are making mistakes they hadn’t been during their dominant 2022 and 2023 campaigns. The shift in the dynamic seems to have coincided with the introduction of the new ground effect car design regulations.
After two dominant seasons and a strong start this year where Max won four of the first five Grand Prix, everyone expected Red Bull to cruise through both championships again. However, things took a turn when a mechanical issue in Australia caused Max to drop out, handing Carlos Sainz the win. McLaren’s smart strategy in Miami allowed Lando Norris to benefit from a safety car situation, enabling him to clinch his first F1 victory. Lando almost won again in Imola, and last weekend in Monaco, Red Bull struggled throughout.
Ferrari and McLaren are much closer to Red Bull this year. Vasseur believes the pressure is now revealing cracks in Red Bull’s armor. “Max made more mistakes in Imola than in the last three seasons,” noted the understated Ferrari boss. According to him, Red Bull used to be in a comfort zone with their strategy, but now they have to push harder, which is causing errors. Much of Red Bull’s recent success has been linked to Adrian Newey’s extensive knowledge from his IndyCar days in the 1980s. Newey’s experience laid the groundwork for Red Bull’s current ground effect designs.
Despite their successes, Red Bull is dealing with persistent issues. Newey recently explained that his deep-rooted knowledge of ground effect cars has been vital, especially in tackling problems like bouncing, also known as ‘porpoising.’ “My early career involved Venturi cars in F1 and IndyCar, and that knowledge has been invaluable,” he shared. “At Silverstone in 1981, we tested a way to save weight by throwing away the dampers and coil springs, replacing them with bump rubbers. It was a disaster – the car bounced so much you could see air through the front wheels.”
Newey has admitted his focus on the suspension for the new ground effect car has created issues. While the suspension design helped mitigate bouncing, it made the car run stiff, posing challenges at circuits with high curbs like Monaco and the upcoming Montreal GP. The stiff suspension diminishes the car’s ability to absorb bumps and curbs, which can cause drivers to lose precious seconds.
Ferrari, on the other hand, showcased how their more compliant suspension allowed drivers like Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz to get back on the throttle earlier in tight corners. This enabled them to capitalize on better launches out of the corner, giving them an edge over Red Bull on specific tracks.
Max Verstappen has openly shared his frustrations. “It’s like I’m driving without suspension,” he said. “The car bounces a lot, doesn’t absorb curbs, bumps, or camber changes. In the last corner at Monaco, I almost hit the wall multiple times. This problem has been there since 2022, but our car’s overall advantage had masked it until now.”
Interestingly, Red Bull’s car this year, the RB20, isn’t merely an evolution of last year’s model but significantly different. This change aimed to solve the suspension issues. Even so, Verstappen was surprised to be only three-tenths off pole position time in Monaco. When asked where he could have been without mistakes on his final Q3 run, he candidly replied, “F*** knows,” with a laugh.
Adrian Newey’s retirement from Red Bull before the Miami Grand Prix raised eyebrows, with many predicting it could mark the team’s decline. However, Newey had not been the technical director for almost a decade; Pierre Wache has held that role since 2018. Wache and his team are now tasked with correcting the suspension issues to ensure Red Bull remains competitive on tracks that challenge the current design.
Max was blunt about the supposed fixes this year: “Supposedly, but it didn’t happen,” he said when asked if the redesign addressed the issues. Red Bull faces a tough road ahead, needing quick adjustments to maintain their standing in this fiercely competitive season.
Red Bull’s recent struggles highlight the team’s urgency in resolving their suspension design issues. With Adrian Newey stepping down and teams like Ferrari and McLaren closing in, Red Bull has significant challenges ahead to maintain their dominance.
