2024 Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team

[chrisc90]

12 races remaining including Hungrary. It would take Lando winning near enough every race to overturn Max's points gap. Unless of course there is a DNF or 2 about it.

But we cant disagree that it's going to be tight. Max is a lone batsman up there at the front for RBR. You need a 2nd gunner to help you fight your position and take points from the other team.....and RBR dont have that at the moment.

I have a feeling that Max is more annoyed with Checo than the team at the minute.

[Vettel165]

As expected this update had to deliver a lot and it seems to have fallen short.

Too early to call this. Hungary was always going to be a difficult track with a lot of low-speed corners and traction areas of the track. To be honest, I was suprised today that the gap was this small to Mclaren today. I still have a lot of faith in this team, they just need some more time and they should fix their problem.

[f1isgood]

About Spa and Zandvoort, I am not very optimistic about Spa like many others. Maybe a pole position is more achievable so to say. Race trim is the issue nowadays, more than qualifying trim.

At some point, McLaren and Lando will get it together. They have done the hardest part in my opinion -- making a car go fast. Now's the more controllable things, although I somehow think if things are closer, they are also likely to make more mistakes especially when they see bigger rewards on the table. But this is sub-optimal as far as it goes.

[Sergej]

so should we expect a difficult race despite the work on race pace, Horner's PR about race setup, etc ? I don't think Max would be that harsh if he knew he has a win capable car for tomorrow ?

those words pose a big doubt about this upgrade, but time will tell

In the past few races McLaren have had better tire degradation and also simply more pace towards the end of the stints. In tomorrow's hot conditions if the car has comparable degradation and similar pace difference to McLaren as qualifying, I would personally consider the upgrade a success. The reality is not that so far McLaren have been at Red Bull's pace. They have been outright quicker, sometimes by even 3 to 4 tenths compared to Red Bull towards the end of the races. If that gap disappears, they have done some good work in my view.

Somehow the last time Red Bull got a big upgrade with a lot of lap-time these regulations was when they went to B-Spec RB18 at Bahrain Testing in 2022. Since then, I don't recall a single upgrade giving them loads of lap time personally. It was always about minor margins. Hopefully they get that margin for the race tomorrow. Even last year the car wasn't the quickest in qualifying -- in fact very hard to be at the limit around this track and lost pole to a rather scruffy lap by Lewis. I hope they can fight in the race with the McLarens.

I understand, but those words from Max are quite worrying though, I mean he's throwing the team under a bus, that's almost an Alonso 2006 level of harshness; suppose tomorrow he wins on pace, he will be looking like a clown for these words, and I don't think Max is a clown; maybe there's something I'm missing but I'm finding very "strange" this press reaction by Max.

[chrisc90]

About Spa and Zandvoort, I am not very optimistic about Spa like many others. Maybe a pole position is more achievable so to say. Race trim is the issue nowadays, more than qualifying trim.

At some point, McLaren and Lando will get it together. They have done the hardest part in my opinion -- making a car go fast. Now's the more controllable things, although I somehow think if things are closer, they are also likely to make more mistakes especially when they see bigger rewards on the table. But this is sub-optimal as far as it goes.

A win at spa would be nice, but wont happen if the engine penalty is taken there.

Maybe we can only hope there will be some Nerfing of the flexing front wing.

[Sergej]

About Spa and Zandvoort, I am not very optimistic about Spa like many others. Maybe a pole position is more achievable so to say. Race trim is the issue nowadays, more than qualifying trim.

At some point, McLaren and Lando will get it together. They have done the hardest part in my opinion -- making a car go fast. Now's the more controllable things, although I somehow think if things are closer, they are also likely to make more mistakes especially when they see bigger rewards on the table. But this is sub-optimal as far as it goes.

Maybe we can only hope there will be some Nerfing of the flexing front wing.

lol I was just about to write that ahah

[f1isgood]

About Spa and Zandvoort, I am not very optimistic about Spa like many others. Maybe a pole position is more achievable so to say. Race trim is the issue nowadays, more than qualifying trim.

At some point, McLaren and Lando will get it together. They have done the hardest part in my opinion -- making a car go fast. Now's the more controllable things, although I somehow think if things are closer, they are also likely to make more mistakes especially when they see bigger rewards on the table. But this is sub-optimal as far as it goes.

A win at spa would be nice, but wont happen if the engine penalty is taken there.

Maybe we can only hope there will be some Nerfing of the flexing front wing.

Maybe I am mistaken, but from my understanding, the FIA is only looking into the front wing flex as a check and any changes will only be implemented from 2025?

And indeed, an engine penalty at Spa would at best be a P3, unless there's a SC and Max and RB capitalize on it.

[chrisc90]

I'd imagine if there is significant flex, it will be issued with a TD revision. AMR at the start of the reg era were hit pretty hard for example. Ferrari floor/plank flexing....

[f1isgood]

Indeed, if McLaren's (and even Mercedes') performance is from the wing flex, and there's a TD to nerf them it would be good for Red Bull and Max. Hopefully this is the key behind their performance and they will at least need a few races to adapt should they get caught at Spa. That will hopefully give a buffer to close out this season.

It is still extraordinary how far they have come how quickly. Probably the only team whose upgrades simply brought loads of lap time -- something Red Bull hasn't done since initial testing.

[Vettel165]

Great post from other f1 forum.

I think this is a key point that is being overlooked or minimized. We've had 2 weekends with quite changeable conditions that has made it harder to dial the car in and make a proper informed opinion about the upgrades. Was hoping for a hot weekend here to see where we stand but then today was much cooler and we even had drops of water on track. Not ideal. If tomorrow is hotter then that should also work in our favor.

[Juzh]

What good is all this downforce if the car is unable to take a single kerb without being immediately unsettled..

As expected this update had to deliver a lot and it seems to have fallen short.

Perfectly in line with my expectations. Last good update RB put on their car that actually worked was 2 years ago in Spa.

[Juzh]

I think Max's rhetoric is going overboard and I dont quite understand what he intends to achieve with these statements. Ok, yes, mclaren is faster and another update hasnt delivered, but now you have to take the car and drive its wheels off. It's called racing. He cant expect a 2023 like year to happen every year, maybe he still hasn't adjusted to the new reality.
He's saying he's just being honest and whatnot, but these comments are not helpful to anyone.

[taperoo2k]

12 races remaining including Hungrary. It would take Lando winning near enough every race to overturn Max's points gap. Unless of course there is a DNF or 2 about it.

DNF's and more competitive Ferrari's and Mercedes could lose Max points alongside DNF's.

But we cant disagree that it's going to be tight. Max is a lone batsman up there at the front for RBR. You need a 2nd gunner to help you fight your position and take points from the other team.....and RBR dont have that at the moment.

McLaren winning the constructors looks doable. Max will probably win the drivers title, though it might be a closer run thing than many expected at the start of the season.

I have a feeling that Max is more annoyed with Checo than the team at the minute.

I don't think Max is frustrated with Perez. I think he's more likely to be frustrated with those
who took the decision to not axe Perez at the end of last season. I also wouldn't be surprised if he's angry with how changing circumstances prompted Newey to leave. The RB20 looks like a backwards step from the RB19 tbh.

You know when Redbull is desperate? When they start reporting other terms for possible technical infringements.
I think how the rest of the season pans out, could well inform Max's decision about seeing out his contract or leaving for pastures new.

[taperoo2k]

I think Max's rhetoric is going overboard and I dont quite understand what he intends to achieve with these statements. Ok, yes, mclaren is faster and another update hasnt delivered, but now you have to take the car and drive its wheels off. It's called racing. He cant expect a 2023 like year to happen every year, maybe he still hasn't adjusted to the new reality.

I don't think he was expecting another RB19, but he was probably hoping they would be just far enough ahead of other teams to have a comfortable margin. Nor can you expect Max to work miracles if the car ahead of him has the edge over the RB20.

He's saying he's just being honest and whatnot, but these comments are not helpful to anyone.

Max speaks his mind, what we are probably hearing today has likely already been said behind closed doors.

[Vettel165]

Helmut Marko tells Sky Germany: "The fact that the temperature dropped drastically was also crucial. We coped better with the hot temperatures. Perhaps the set-up was also designed with this in mind."

He also points out that Verstappen was only 0.046 seconds away from pole position and it could easily have gone the other way. The Austrian is combative about the race.

"Our long run makes us very optimistic. Both cars were the fastest. Max's tyre wear was minimal. That makes us optimistic," Marko said.

But he also knows: "McLaren has two cars. If they play well with their strategy, we will have a harder time."