(Motorsport-Total.com) – Red Bull’s performance improvement at the Formula 1 weekend in Miami is one of the biggest surprises of the event. After the team admitted in Japan that they did not fully understand the problems of the RB22, the team suddenly appeared competitive again in Florida.
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Max Verstappen finished fifth in the end, but according to the team, the result does not reflect the actual potential. A spin in the first lap and an early pit stop decisively influenced the race of the four-time world champion.
Verstappen already told Dutch media that the new update package gave the entire team new confidence. This also applies to technical director Pierre Wache, who was under pressure to improve the situation after a difficult start to the season.
Positive conclusion in Miami despite fifth place
“It is not easy, but of course I am disappointed with the result. I think the result in Miami does not show our true pace. But it is good for the team to see that the car has potential and that we are competitive again,” said Wache after the Miami Grand Prix.
The effect of the Red Bull update surprised many observers in the paddock. Compared to the Japanese Grand Prix, the team was able to reduce the gap to the front by about one second, according to their own statements. This is particularly remarkable since Ferrari and McLaren also brought extensive update packages to Miami.
Wache is less surprised by the performance of the new parts themselves, but rather by the positive effect on Verstappen’s driving feel. “The package delivered exactly what we expected. But after we solved some other problems, additional performance from Max came along that we perhaps did not expect.”
Red Bull fixes steering problem
An important factor was a problem in the steering system that Red Bull has now identified and fixed. The technical department replaced the entire steering unit and several supporting components before a filming day in Silverstone and before the Miami Grand Prix.
Verstappen had indicated that he already felt problems with the steering during the first laps of the shakedown in Barcelona. Asked why the solution took so long, Wache explained: “First we had to make sure that there was actually a problem. Then we had to find out where it came from, and that takes a long time. After that, it was about fixing the problem.”
He continued: “I’m sorry that we didn’t solve it earlier. We tried many things that didn’t work. Some parts also had long delivery times, but I think the engineering team did an excellent job.”
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April break provided time for new parts
According to Wache, the problem was discovered shortly before the April break. However, the break provided time to produce the necessary parts. Red Bull’s own version of the so-called “Macarena Wings” also attracted special interest in Miami. The team immediately emphasized that the concept was not copied from Ferrari and also works differently.
While the Ferrari version can move up to 270 degrees in one direction, the Red Bull variant rotates up to 160 degrees in the opposite direction. Around the Hard Rock Stadium, the system worked successfully.
“I think we started in November. We wanted to use it already in Bahrain and later in Melbourne, but had problems getting it to work properly,” explains Wache. “We tried again in Suzuka but had great difficulties. Now it works. It is a long process to get such a system running.”
FIA regulations as the biggest challenge
The Frenchman described compliance with FIA regulations as the biggest challenge: “The time to open and close is limited. Also, the range of motion is longer than with previous solutions. We did not expect some problems because it is a completely new system.”
In addition to the updates in Miami, Red Bull is already working on further development steps for the RB22. According to the team, the vehicle’s overweight has already been reduced from twelve to six kilograms.
Further updates planned for the European season
A smaller update is already planned for the Grand Prix of Montreal in two weeks, according to Wache. The next big package is to be introduced during the European races. The goal is to reach the minimum weight of the vehicle by the race in Austria at the end of June at the latest.
“Yes, I think there will be another step. I don’t know exactly when, but probably we will see another weight reduction by Austria.”
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