Max Verstappen didn’t hold back when he described the Monaco Grand Prix as a major wake-up call for Red Bull Racing. The issues were glaringly clear two weeks ago; the RB20 struggled over kerbs and bumps, obstructing their quest for a podium finish.
Helmut Marko has pinpointed the simulator as the root of these problems. ‘The problem starts in the simulator, which has indicated that the car runs perfectly over the kerbs. Simply put, the simulator and reality do not correlate,’ he explained. This gap between simulated and real-world performance first surfaced at the Singapore Grand Prix, where Red Bull experienced a rare defeat in the 2023 season.
Max Verstappen agreed, noting that the team has faced these simulator discrepancies since the start of the new regulations. ‘We know that, but we have not been able to solve it yet,’ Verstappen admitted, pointing out that Red Bull’s cornering issues become more evident as their rivals close the performance gap.
Looking ahead to the Canadian Grand Prix, the team remains on high alert. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal also features challenging kerbs, albeit not as extreme as Monaco. ‘I don’t think it will be as extreme as Monaco, but of course, it’s a track where you have to take the kerbs with you. That is definitely one of the most important things about this track, so I expect us to suffer a bit in that respect,’ remarked Sergio Pérez.
Helmut Marko mentioned that Red Bull will undertake a comprehensive review of its simulator technology to align it better with real-world conditions. However, he was cautious about how quickly they can resolve these issues. ‘Montreal could also be a difficult weekend for us,’ he warned.
Verstappen was straightforward about the timeline for any significant improvements, which would likely come in 2025 with the development of a new car. ‘We definitely need to get a grip on it, but it just takes time to make big changes to the car because we might have to change our design, but you can’t do that with the budget limit,’ he said, adding that the team could still do a good job this year if everything falls into place.
The Montreal circuit has undergone significant changes for the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix, adding another layer of complexity to the race. All kerbs have been replaced with identical ones, and the track has been entirely resurfaced. The FIA has also modified the run-off area at Turn 8 and replaced grass-covered pavers with asphalt strips behind the kerbs of turns 1, 3, and 6.
Red Bull Racing is steering into turbulent waters as they head to Montreal, still struggling with simulator issues and the challenges of corner-heavy circuits. While significant improvements may not come until 2025, the team remains cautiously optimistic about navigating the current season’s hurdles.
