(Motorsport-Total.com) – After the difficulties at the British Grand Prix, Red Bull also expects a challenging task at the upcoming race weekend in Spa Francorchamps. Both Max Verstappen and team principal Laurent Mekies see especially so-called low-energy tracks as a particular challenge for the team’s current overall package.
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At the start of the season, Red Bull was at the top in the internal rankings for the combustion engine. However, this was also related to how the various manufacturers operated their power units in the first races. But on the electric side, Red Bull still seems to have disadvantages compared to the competition.
According to Verstappen, this is particularly noticeable on tracks where energy management plays a particularly important role. Red Bull already had difficulties in Suzuka, where additional problems with the chassis and vehicle weight also played a role. A similar picture has now emerged in Silverstone.
Verstappen sees multiple causes for the problems
Before his retirement, Verstappen still seemed to be on course for the podium. Nevertheless, the four-time world champion subsequently evaluates his performance critically. “Even if we had finished third, we wouldn’t have deserved it at all,” says Verstappen.
In addition to problems with vehicle balance and the power unit, which even made him consider starting from the pit lane, Verstappen also sees the track’s characteristics as a decisive factor. On the one hand, fast corners, despite a decent performance in Barcelona, still do not count among Red Bull’s greatest strengths. However, Silverstone consists of numerous high-speed sections.
On the other hand, Verstappen sees deficits in energy management and power unit operation. This exact point could also become a problem again in Spa. Both Oliver Bearman and Fernando Alonso have already pointed out that an even more extreme energy management might be required on the Ardennes circuit than in Silverstone.
Therefore, Verstappen expects a completely different picture at one of his favorite tracks than in previous years. “Spa and Monza will be great, yes,” Verstappen said with marked sarcasm. “That’s really a shame because Spa is, of course, one of my favorite tracks on the Formula 1 calendar. But this year it will feel completely different.”
Mekies expects difficulties in Belgium
Team principal Laurent Mekies also shares his driver’s assessment and expects a similarly difficult situation in Belgium. “A week ago in Austria, we were still fighting for the win. A few days later, here in Silverstone, we encountered significant limitations that prevented us from exploiting the full potential of our package.”
According to Mekies, the problems intensify on tracks like Silverstone and Spa. “If a track is low-energy, we seem to have greater difficulties. On tracks where the energy limit weighs particularly heavily, we have bigger problems compared to the competition. In this respect, I fear that Spa will also fall into this category,” explains the Frenchman.
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Red Bull is currently analyzing the data from Silverstone to further optimize the operation of the power unit on such tracks. However, Mekies has no illusions that the overall picture will fundamentally change within a few weeks.
“That does not mean we give up or write off the issue. It means that sooner or later we have to improve. It’s about developing ourselves further in all areas. We work on that every day. We have to use this weekend to make a small step forward on such tracks. Hopefully, we will succeed already in Spa.”
Regulations limit development possibilities
However, the team’s possibilities are limited. If Red Bull Ford does not receive so-called ADUO tokens, the manufacturer cannot further develop the hardware on the electric side of the power unit. These tokens may be used, among other things, for improvements to the electric part of the drivetrain.
However, if Red Bull remains at the top of the internal ICE ranking, there is currently no entitlement to these development possibilities according to the regulations. Thus, there is no short-term technical solution for the problems on low-energy tracks. Accordingly, both Spa and Monza are considered demanding race weekends internally.
Hope for progress during the season
Despite the current difficulties, Mekies is optimistic that the young Red Bull Ford project can better master the challenges in the future: “I trust that the team learns very quickly. After all, it is the first year of our project. We will find a way to deal with this type of low-energy tracks.”
“There may be hardware restrictions, but I also know that our team finds solutions extraordinarily quickly. I hope that we will already be somewhat better positioned in Spa. Nevertheless, you are right that the track characteristics are very similar,” Mekies continued.
Red Bull, on the other hand, places greater hopes on the Hungaroring. According to the team, the balance of power could only shift back somewhat in favor of Red Bull in Hungary, as the track layout there with numerous slower corners is expected to put less strain on the power unit.
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